Hero's Return
by Strider Yoshi
Summary: CHAP 21: Back, with 100 percent less procrastination! Or something.
1. Max's Escape

By: Strider Yoshi  
Send feedback to:  
strider_yoshi@yahoo.com  
  
Hero's Rest  
  
Introduction  
  
Okay, this is my first fanfic, on Shining Force I. Shining Force is, by far, my favourite series on Genesis. Although the storyline was fairly standard (Evil being unleashed, go chosen one), the battle system was reallly deep, and ahead of it's time. The thing that stood out in my mind when I finished the game was that Max was going to quietly retire in some unknown village, where he'd just be a quiet farmer for the rest of his life. He'd be unknown, and no one would realize that he was THE Max, who had just saved all their asses from destruction. So I decided to write an continuation, following the Shining Force immediately after their victory over Dark Dragon. You may notice that not all the characters from the game have a role. This is because  
  
1) There's over 20 characters and it would be very difficult to put every character in, plus I'm too lazy :).   
  
2) Some characters I never picked up during the game, either because I didn't need the character (there's what, 6 knights in the game?) or because I really didn't like the character. For example, I never picked up Vankar because, I dunno, I think it was that damn moustache, plus his stats sucked.  
  
Anyway, enough with the damn intro. All feedback would be appreciated, as this is my first fic. If anyone has the exact dialogue for that scene with Max in the ending, can you send it to me? I'm sort of working from memory of that scene, so as soon as I get the official dialogue, I'll have to change it.   
  
Chapter 1  
  
As Max walked, he realized how tired he was. Tired of fighting battle after battle. Tired of seeing the death of his teacher, Lord Varios, killed by Kane, while he stood by. Tired of seeing that same Kane, trying to redeem himself for his many crimes, sacrifice his life trying to save Max from Darksol. Tired of the responsibility that was put on his shoulders ever since the King of Guardiana had entrusted him with the mission of scouting out the Gate of the Ancients, putting him in charge of the Shining Force. Never mind that under Max's leadership, they had managed to defeat the greatest evil the world had seen, Dark Dragon, and had brought peace to the land of Rune. No, Max simply didn't care at that point. For all he was concerned, the world could be destroyed by a dozen Dark Dragon's, and it would just mean a quiet peace for Max. No, all Max wanted now was a quiet life, and a place to rest until the end of his days.  
  
As Max continued to trudge down the path, though he had no idea where the path led, he wondered what exactly had happened. The last memory he had in his mind was, using the last of his reserves, whisking his friends off to safety, while he stayed behind in order to make sure Dark Dragon was sealed away. The next moment later, he found himself waking up in the middle of nowhere. Since then, he had been walking for hours, with no idea where he was going, or even a clear intention in his mind. All he knew was that he wanted to get away from it all for a while.  
  
Finally, Max encountered an old man working on his fields. From the looks of things, Max decided, he seemed to be a farmer, middle aged, middle to lower class. Max briefly debated the merits of talking to him, and ended up heading toward him, as he had nothing better to do at the moment anyway. The farmer looked up from where he had been plowing the fields as Max approached.  
  
"Greetings, stranger," shouted out the farmer cheerfully as Max came up toward him. "Where are you coming from?"  
  
Max briefly thought about his answer. "Nowhere in particular, I'm just passing through." Max thought he should at least make an attempt to be civil. "How's the farming going?"  
  
"The season's going great this year!" replied the farmer. "Ever since that Shining Force defeated that Darksol character, suddenly everything is changing. The weather's becoming nicer, people are getting friendlier. I haven't had such a great season since I was a young pup!"  
  
Max had noticed this as well. During his campaign against Darksol and Runefaust, Max had discovered the weather was unpredictable, becoming unbearably hot at times, with bitter, Arctic winds coming the next moment. "That's good."  
  
The farmer looked at Max curiously. "So, what are you doing up in these parts?" the farmer asked?  
  
Max had no idea how to answer this, as he didn't even know where he was. "Well, I'm just looking for a place to rest at the moment."  
  
The farmer gave Max an once-over. "Well, if you don't mind me saying so, you do look a little... run down."  
  
Max looked down at himself and grinned ruefully. The farmer was completely right. Getting fried by a Bolt 3 spell doesn't help you win any beauty contests. After hours of walking aimlessly, Max was a mess. He realized he hadn't eaten or showered in a long time, since he had left Runefaust for the final battle against Darksol. He was back in his old traveling outfit, with a green tunic, covered by a blue cloak, completed with his unruly orange hair tied back with a green headband.  
  
The farmer continued, "Well, if you're looking for a place to kick back your heels for a while, why not right here? If you don't mind looking after the fields."  
  
Max thought about the farmer's offer. A nice quiet farm, where he would spend some time plowing away at the fields. It would be nothing at all like his time leading the Shining Force, in charge of the lives of dozens, the world's only hope against the forces of evil. It was perfect.  
  
"Sure, that sounds great," Max said, smiling.  
  
The farmer grinned in delight. "Alright, looks like I got myself an assistant! I've been short an helping hand ever since my son Crowe went off to join up in the army."   
  
"Oh," Max said. "How is he doing now?"  
  
"He's dead," the farmer said grimly.  
  
Max thought about all the lives that had been lost during the War. General Elliot. Ramaladu. The King of Guardiana. Lord Varios. Kain. He looked up at the farmer with an mixed expression of sympathy, and regret. "I'm sorry."  
  
"Crowe died for a good cause, fighting for what he believed in," said the farmer. "I have no regrets."  
  
Both men were silent for a while. The farmer looked up. "By the way, I can't go around calling you 'stranger' can I? What name do you go by?"  
  
Max looked up. "My name? My name is..." Max thought about it. He couldn't give out his real name, not when most of the world recognized it as being the name of the leader of the greatest group of warriors ever assembled, the Shining Force. Max didn't even know if the world knew if he was dead or alive. In any case, giving out his real name wouldn't be a wise move, not if he just wanted to settle down somewhere.  
  
"My name's Peregrin," Max finally decided. Max stuck out his hand.  
  
"Peregrin? The name's Draco, Edward Draco," replied Edward as he grasped Max's outstreched hand with his worn one. "Come inside, June probably has dinner ready inside, I can introduce you to my family." Max and Edward both strode away, toward Edward's home, off in the distance. Max gave an inward sigh of relief.  
  
"Finally," he thought, "I can rest."  
  
OK, what did you dudes and dudettes think? I know it's a little slow at first, but it'll pick up eventually. At least, I hope it will. Remember, all feedback is appreciated. If I missed a comma, tell me about it. I'm pretty sure I made all kinds of spelling and grammar mistakes, so if I did, I'd like to know. Please be kind. It's my first piece of work, show mercy!Strider Yoshi 


	2. Arrival of the Shining Force

By: Strider Yoshi  
Send feedback to:  
strider_yoshi@yahoo.com  
  
Hero's Rest  
  
Note: Thanks to Iced Guardian for informing of mistake. Why did I mistakenly call the Hero Link? Because when i played through the game the first time, I named the guy Link, cuz I didn't know of the default, and I thought Link was cool and all. When writing this I had to continually change Link to Max, when I typed in Link by reflex :P  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The ship herself was unremarkable. It was a large ship, somewhat slow, but very spacious, which came in handy during her travels. The ship was christened Navarow The ship was not as packed as it had once been. Currently, only a few passengers were travelling on it, compared to over 20 before. No, the ship itself was nothing special. What was important however, was that it was taking home the greatest fighting force the world had ever seen. The army that had struck fear in the hearts of every evil creature serving the Darkness. The ship was taking the remnants of the Shining Force home.  
  
However, the state of Navarow did not concern Lowe, as he strolled around the deck, trying very hard not to throw up from the heaving motions of the ship. All he cared about was getting home to the namesake of the ship, and returning to his homeland of Guardiana.  
  
"Are we there yet?" Lowe asked of Gort, who was calmly perched as lookout at the front of Navarow"  
  
Gort, the aged warrior who had decided to come out of retirement in order to battle Runfaust, gave Lowe a surprised look. "Are we there yet? Gee, that's a new question from you! Oh, I've never heard you ask that before!"  
  
Hans, one of the original members of the Shining Force, and who was keeping Gort company at lookout, put on a confused look. "Wait a minute. I think I remember him asking him that before, was it five week ago?"  
  
Gort raised his eyebrows, as if surprised. "Wait, I remember now! Perhaps it was one week-"  
  
"5 days-"  
  
"1 day-"  
  
"5 hours-"  
  
"5 minutes-"  
  
"Oh shut up," said Lowe. Both Hans and Gort grinned.  
  
"Relax," said Gort, giving Lowe a hearty slap on the back, which almost sent Lowe overboard. "You land-grubber! Just sit back, relax and enjoy the sea, like I do."  
  
"Right, just relax," muttered Lowe. "Only a crazy old fool could-"  
  
"What was that last part?" inquired Gort in an off-hand tone, as he casually dropped his hand down to his belt, letting it lie on the blade of the Atlas Axe resting there.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"That's what I thought."  
  
"Stop the cat-fight, girls." This remark came from Arthur, Paladin, and who Tao jokingly called "Dead Weight", due to his eagerness, or lack of, to fight against Runefaust. None could argue against his fighting ability though. He came strolling over from where he had been taking a nap. "You fight like a bunch of women."  
  
Mae, daughter of Varios, smirked at that remark. "Arthur, what are you saying? Does that mean women can't fight, or something? Because if it does..."  
  
Arthur gulped, as he recalled the ease at which Mae had torn through enemies in the past.She was definitely not a centaur you'd want to 1anger. "No, no, no, no. Of course not," Arthur exclaimed nervously.   
  
"That's what I thought."  
  
Mae opened her mouth in order to make an further remark, but fell silent as a large shadow fell over them, and her companions. She looked up. There, coming down to a landing, was Balbaroy, the Sky Warrior, along with Amon, his wife, and fellow Warrior.  
  
"Land sighted." The grave Balbaroy said this without emotion, even though everyone's heart leapt at the fact that this long journey would soon be over. Luke and Ken looked up from the game of chess they were playing, though the rocking motions of were wreaking havoc on the board. Tao and Khris stopped their spirited debate about the book Tao was reading, entitled "Do witches really float?" Zylo looked over from he where had been perched hanging over the railing of Navarow, with a ray of hope in his eyes.. The Wolf Baron, who could move through rough terrain with ease, and could cut through enemies like butter, had developed a pale green tint. This voyage was definitely not treating him well. Amon nodded, as if to confirm her Balbaroy's sightings.  
  
"How far!" Lowe shouted ecstatically.  
  
Balbaroy thought about it. "I'd say we have about 4 hours before we hit Uranbatol," he answered after a moment. "I have to warn you, though, we have a welcoming party awaiting us when we hit."  
  
Earnest, who had been brooding while staring off into the sea, looked up sharply at this remark. "Welcoming party? How many undead? How many bats? What's the makeup of the enemy force?"   
  
Balbaroy looked amused, although none but Amon could read that expression from him. "No, I mean an actual welcoming party. Apparently, the word's spread about our little adventure overseas. The entire shipyard is stacked with people. You should have heard the noise when Amon and I swooped by overhead! It was deafening, especially to our sensitive ears." Both Balbaroy and Amon covered their ears, and winced at the memory.  
  
Lowe looked horrified. "An actual welcoming party? With all those people all staring at us, and all that attention? I don't know if I can do this."  
  
Arthur grinned, and threw his arm over Lowe's shoulder. "Hey, it'll be fun. We're heroes! We've defeated the greatest evil the world has ever known-"  
  
"Though I'm pretty sure you were knocked unconscious by that Armed Skeleton," Tao muttered.  
  
Arthur continued without missing a beat. "-and we deserve a hero's welcome, don't you think Lowe?"  
  
Zylo grimaced. "I don't know if I like this. I've never been comfortable around a whole group of strangers."  
  
Luke was surprised. "Why?" Luke asked.  
  
"I don't know," Zylo responded dryly. "For some reason, people become uncomfortable around a mad wolf that attacks everything in sight."  
  
"That was before we got the Lunar Dew for you!" Khris interjected. "You're different now! You're OK with us now aren't you?"  
  
Zylo rubbed his paws together nervously, which was not characteristic of the usual fearless warrior that everyone knew Zylo as. "I guess so..."  
  
Arthur broke the uncomfortable silence. "Come on guys, cheer up! It'll be fun! There'll be interesting parties, interesting drinks, and if all else fails..." Arthur grinned even wider. "Interesting women," he finished.  
  
Tao couldn't help it. She fell to the floor in tears, laughing hysterically, while the rest of the Shining Force stared at her. Finally she finished. "You! Women! Since when did you know the firs thing about women, Arthur!"  
  
Arthur mockingly put on a hurt expression. "Tao! Just because I rejected your advances doesn't mean you need to take your anger out on me! I have feelings too, you know."  
  
Tao inwardly debated whether to smack Arthur across the face with her Holy Rod, or to throw up. She settled for just rolling her eyes.  
  
Arthur continued, "Anyway, my heart is set on another woman. I know she feels the same way about me. Right Mae?" Arthur sidled over toward her, with his arms outstretched, but stopped from the promise of instant death he read in the look she gave him. Everyone enjoyed a hearty laugh at this.  
  
However, the laughter stopped when they noticed a silver-haired figure climbing up from the decks below. She was walking toward them unsteadily. She looked terrible, as if she had lost a lot of weight over the last few weeks. She had dark rings under her eyes, from sleepness nights. She was one of the key figures in the defeat of the Dark Dragon and Darksol, and was to be the future leader of Guardiana. She was the wizard, Princess Anri.  
  
Anri quizzically searched the faces of the Shining Force, all who was looking with concern at her. "What's with all the commotion?"  
  
Balbaroy answered her. "Your Highness, land has been sighted off in the distance."  
  
Anri smiled wanly. "Don't call me that."  
  
Balbaroy remained solemn. "Formalities must be maintained."  
  
"Yes, formalities must be maintained," said Arthur, in a perfect imitation of Balbaroy's voice. "Lighten up, O Holy one! Come on, let's see a smile!"  
  
"My beak does not contain the muscles necessary to form a 'smile,' Arthur."   
  
Arthur looked nonplussed. "Oh," he said, rather lamely. "So how ya feeling Anny?"  
  
Anri looked amused. "You, on the other hand..."  
  
Arthur grinned. "Don't look so down, toots. I'm just giving you what you want, sweetie."  
  
Tao glanced at Mae, who was trying to hold back a smile. "Mae, as Princess of Guardiana, I hereby order you to put this scoundrel to death."  
  
Mae immediately put on a serious face. "Mission accepted. Come here, Arthur." Mae slowly advanced on him.  
  
Arthur's grin faltered. "This is a joke right," he remarked, while slowly backing away. He suddenly turned around, and took off, with Mae in hot pursuit. "Where are you going, you moron!" Mae shouted. This is a boat.  
  
Anri looked at the duo in amusement. "If anyone wants me, I'll be down below." She headed off toward the decks.  
  
The Shining Force glanced at each other. "She's taking this real hard," Khris mentioned.  
  
The rest of the Shining Force nodded in agreement. "What should we do?" asked Lowe, as he tried to ignore the sounds of a screaming Arthur in the background.  
  
"Just let her be," said Earnest solemnly. "I, of all people, know that she wants to be left alone right now."  
  
The rest of the Shining Force concurred. They went back to their activities as Navarow sped on toward Uranbatol. Khris and Anri resumed their discussion on "Do witches really float?" Hans, Gort, and Lowe continued bantering. Zylo tried not to throw up. Luke and Ken decided to move their chess game downstairs, where they could at least lock down the board somehow. Balbaroy and Amon took off to the sky again, in order to serve as forward scouts. Earnest went back to his silent thoughts. Arthur was STILL being chased by Mae. He was running with a surprising amount of speed and stamina, considering how much he trains.   
  
Anri headed back to her cabin. She had been unable to gain a good night's sleep during the whole voyage. In fact, she hadn't slept well ever since the defeat of Dark Dragon. The reason was Max's death. She could still see it in her dreams. The look on his face as he sent the rest of them, Anri included, to safety, using the last of his strength. He had stayed behind in order to ensure that Dark Dragon was sealed away, sacrificing his life, for the good of mankind. She paused by her small desk. Situated in the centre, was the White Ring. Max had given it to her after they had discovered it. "No, it's ok, I don't need it," she had protested. "But you must," Max had insisted. "If anything should happen to you-"  
  
Anri had looked up at him, eyes wide. Surely, he wouldn't say what she thought he would!  
  
"- the kingdom of Guardiana would be left without a heir." Max finished. "Your safety is of paramount importance to your people!"  
  
Oh, he was concerned for Guardiana, Anri realized dully. She accepted the White Ring, and Max went off without seeing the tears in Anri's eyes. Anri clutched the Ring and suddenly, broke down completely. "Oh Max," she cried in a pain filled voice. "Where are you?"  
  
Elsewhere, at that same moment...  
  
Max was heading back toward Edward's house when the Evil Ring on his hand started glowing brightly. Edward whistled.  
  
"What is that?" Edward exclaimed, with fascination in his eyes."Nothing," Max lied. In fact, it was the only remnant left from his time with the Shining Force. The Orb of Light he had possessed had vanished. The Chaos Buster he had used to seal away Dark Dragon. The only thing left to him was the Evil Ring, whose curse seemed to have vanished at the same time Dark Dragon did. The ring stopped glowing. "Hey, it's stopped. Where did you get that anyway? A ring like that must be very expensive," Edward mentioned, with a curious look in his eyes.  
  
"Just a family heirloom," Max assured, although he wondered what exactly it could mean.  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
OK, what did you dudes and dudettes think? I know it's a little slow at first, but it'll pick up eventually. At least, I hope it will. Remember, all feedback is appreciated. If I missed a comma, tell me about it. I'm pretty sure I made all kinds of spelling and grammar mistakes, so if I did, I'd like to know. Please be kind. It's my first piece of work, show mercy! Strider Yoshi 


	3. Meeting

Chapter 3  
  
As Max headed off toward a new life, he wondered what had become of his friends, and battle comrades, his fellow members of the Shining Force. Using the last of his strength, Max had managed to cast his Egress spell, and whisk his friends, who had refused to leave him, off to safety, while Max stayed behind in order to ensure that Dark Dragon was sealed away. He knew that if they had escaped, then they would be fine. Mae herself was a more than capable leader, and fully suited to taking over the reins of the Shining Force. Would the Shining Force even be needed again, Max thought suddenly. After all, Dark Dragon was banished. Darksol was dead. There was no driving force left to take the reins of leadership. Perhaps Mae and the others would never have to fight another battle again. With Anri leading Guardiana...  
  
Max felt a sudden jab of pain, as he recalled the beautiful princess of his homeland. He quickly turned his thoughts away from those matters, and focused on the small, two-story home coming into view. Max gave it a quick look-over. Medium sized, fairly old, with what looked like many rooms and wings added on, as if this was a building project that spanned generations. Edward saw Max's interest.  
  
"It's not much, but it's been in the family for 3 generations, ever since my grandfather first built it." Edward smiled. "It's old, creaky, and cold in the winter, but if you asked me to sell it for a million gold pieces, I wouldn't.  
  
Max smiled at that. They fell silent as a middle-aged woman appeared in the frame of the doorway.  
  
"Edward, dinner's almost ready," the woman said to Edward with a loving smile on her face. "And who might you be," she said politely to Max.  
  
Edward chuckled. "June, this is Peregrin. He's looking for a place to settle down, and I'm taking him on as an assistant. Peregrin, this is June, my loving wife of 20 years. I still don't know why she married me."  
  
June arched one eyebrow. "Well, I certainly didn't marry you for your money," she remarked wryly. She stuck out a hand toward Max. "Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Peregrin."  
  
Max grasped the hand in front of him, and firmly shook it. "Just Peregrin please, Mrs. Draco, and the pleasure's all mine."  
  
June smiled. "June then, please. I'm glad you're here. The farm's been short-staffed ever since..." June trailed off.  
  
"I heard from Edward about your son. I'm sorry," Max said quickly.  
  
"Don't be. He died for what he believed in," June said solemnly, with a single tear running down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away, and beckoned to an door, where the delicious smell of food came. "Dinner's almost ready. If, um, you'd just care to wash up first?" June said awkwardly.  
  
Max felt himself blushing. "Oh, um, right. Which way...  
  
Edward beckoned. "Just follow me, it's off this way." Max trailed behind, as Edward led the way. June disappeared into the kitchen, to finish preparing the meal.   
  
As Max followed along, he was knocked flat when a door suddenly opened in front of him. A beautiful girl, with long blond hair, flowing out behind her, looked down at Max as he laid on the floor.  
  
"Sorry," she said. To Max, she did not sound very sincere.  
  
"It's all right. I should be more careful." Max grimaced as picked himself off the floor. Having been hit by dozens of magic spells, arrows, and swords, Max had developed a particular sort of toughness to pain. It took a lot to hurt him now. A completely unexpected wooden door flying straight into his face did the trick.  
  
"Serena, please be more careful next time, OK?" Edward scolded.  
  
Serena scowled. "I said I was sorry."   
  
"Peregrin, the young lady in front of you, who just smashed a door into your face, Edward said, glaring at the girl at this last statement, "is my daughter, Serena. Serena, this is Peregrin. He's my new assistant."  
  
"Pleasure to meet you," Max said, as he stuck out his hand. Serena ignored it.  
  
"You're filthy," Serena said, with her nose held high. She wrinkled her nose suddenly. "And you smell terrible."  
  
Max wasn't used to this sort of treatment. Usually, during his travels to the Shining Force, he got quite a different kind of treatment. Townspeople would stare at the brightly armoured figures parading through their streets in awe. Boys would gawk at the great warriors in front of him. Worst of all, to Max at least, was the way women reacted to him. To Max, when he looked in the mirror, all he saw was an average, normal, young man of 24. Apparently though, women had quite a different reaction to him. When he asked Tao, one of his few female friends, she had told him quite a different tale. Blushing all the while, she had talked about his hair, which was fine, and blew easily in the wind. Also, she had talked about his stunningly blue eyes, which spoke of depth, and character. Max didn't believe her, but found out that apparently women in the world had the same opinion of Max as Tao did. Women swooned as he passed by. Young girls, young enough to be Max's sister, blushed furiously as he passed by. Worst though, was the brash young women who came up right to Max, brushing up against him, leering, giving him trinkets, or folded notes scented with perfume. Max always blushed furiously at these events, while his "subordinates" laughed, and elbowed him. Lowe had even managed to steal one of these notes before he could dispose of them, and read it out loud at headquarters. Max winced at the memory of the steamy content the note had contained. Serena was the first women he had met who had treated him like this.  
  
Of course, Max thought, I AM covered with slime, have dirt on my face, and haven't bathed in days. Plus I'm just a regular, out-of-town bum. Why would she care at all, he thought wryly.  
  
Max realized that he hadn't said anything at all yet. "Well, um, I was..." Max trailed off as he realized that he really couldn't explain why he was filthy. That would mean more questions about his past, which he did not want to answer, as he really didn't want to lie.  
  
Edward interrupted the uncomfortable silence. "Peregrin will be joining us for dinner tonight. In fact, your mother's getting dinner ready in the kitchen right now. Perhaps..."  
  
"I'll see what I can do." Serena gave one final, contemptuous glance at Max, and strode away in the direction of the kitchen, skirt trailing behind her. Max was left with the impression of cold green eyes, and long flowing blond hair.  
  
"She's been like this ever since Crowe left," Edward explained awkwardly. "She was hit hard by his death. To tell you the truth, I think she wants nothing to do with this farm, or the farmer's life. Has high expectations, that one."   
  
Max nodded silently. He trailed behind Edward as led the way.  
  
*  
  
Twenty minutes later, Max stepped out, freshly bathed, and wearing a fresh pair of coveralls that Edward had supplied him.  
  
"These used to be Crowe's," Edward explained. "You're about the same size as he was, and he would have wanted for his belongings to be put to good use. Whatever the reason, Max was grateful.  
  
Max walked into the kitchen, and stopped, stunned at the amount of food that was piled onto the tables. Mounds of roast potatoes. Freshly baked bread. Heaps of garden vegetables. Lots of butter! Max hadn't tasted butter in a long time: It was somewhat hard to keep it preserved during long travels. The centerpiece was a huge roasted turkey sitting in the middle. This was a far cry from the rations Max usually had to deal with!  
  
Max grinned, and quickly sat down in the chair that June directed him to, which just happened to be directly across from Serena, who was looking at him as if Darksol himself was sitting across from her.  
  
"At least you're clean now," she sniffed.  
  
"Thanks, I guess," Max said, as he took the bowl of potatoes offered to him by June. Adding vegetables and a slice of turkey, he dug in. The Draco family stared at him as devoured his food.  
  
"Hungry? Or is my food just that good?" June said, smiling.  
  
"Both," Max grunted out. He found it hard to give a longer answer, as he tried to talk out of a mouthful of turkey. June looked away in disgust.  
  
"So, Peregrin, tell us about yourself," Edward said, as he helped himself to some vegetables.  
  
Max finally swallowed. "Oh, nothing much. I'm just a, well, wanderer I guess." Max thought fast. "I just go from city to city, and do odd jobs."  
  
"I see. What cities have you visited?" asked June.  
  
"Oh, a few. Bustoke, Alterone, Rindo, Manarina, to name the most recent ones," Max wasn't sure how much information he wanted to give away. The more he gave out, the bigger the possibility that he could be caught later on.  
  
"Really! We've never been outside of the village ourselves," Edward said. "Tell us about Manarina. That's the home of the school for mages, is it not?"   
  
Max talked of the magic school of Manarina. He talked about the experiments that had gone there. (The Dracos had laughed uproariously when told about how he was turned into a hen. Even Serena smiled a little.) He talked about the mountain air of Bustoke, the beautiful castle of Alterone, the theatre of Rindo. The Dracos listened, fascinated. Even Serena listened, though she pretended not to.  
  
Max was telling a story of how heard his friend 'Rowe', had got dead drunk, and woken up without remembering what had happened in the last 24 hours, when a knock on the front door came. Max finished his story, as 'Rowe' realized he was out 300 gold pieces, which caused June to break out into a fit of giggles. Serena smiled faintly at this. Edward came back into the room.  
  
"What is it, honey," June said, as her husband sat down, and continued eating.  
  
"Apparently, the Shining Force has returned from over the seas. They're set to arrive in Uranbatol any minute now.   
  
"Really," said Serena, as she looked up with interest in her eyes.  
  
"Yes, that was Sam. He just came to tell me he's holding a party at his place later. Everyone's invited! Peregrin, do you want to come?" Edward looked at Max questioningly.   
  
Max smiled faintly. A party, talking about the probably exaggerated exploits of the Shining Force. Due to his age, he would surely be asked about why he hadn't joined up in the military. Max didn't think his conscience would let him get away with such a big lie.  
  
"Father, what about..." Serena looked at her father, with pleading eyes.  
  
"Oh. That," Edward looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry, honey, but it's been confirmed. Straight from the mouth of Balbaroy, Sky Warrior."  
  
"No!" Serena banged her fist on the table. "He wouldn't die. He's too strong for that."  
  
Edward glanced at his wife, who shrugged. "Serena, Max was just a mortal, like you and me. He can die like the rest of us."  
  
Max looked up, surprised. So he was dead after all. Of course though, he wasn't. "He died to seal away Dark Dragon for good. He sacrificed his life for the world," Max said quietly.  
  
"What would YOU know," Serena sneered, as she glared at Max.  
  
Max looked up, and met Serena's glaze. Serena's breath caught, as she looked into his eyes. She saw fire in them that seemed to belie a great strength hidden underneath. But looking deeper, Serena saw pain, deep pain. For what seemed like eternity, she held Max's gaze. Then she remembered who she was talking to. He was just a low-life wanderer, who was working on this run-down farm, which she was forced to call home. She left the table, without clearing her dishes, and stormed away upstairs. The sounds of her footsteps could be heard, as well as the sound of a door slamming.  
  
Edward and June looked at each other, then June turned toward Max. "I'm sorry, she's very interested in the Shining Force, and in particular, Max, the Hero. She's had trouble accepting his heroic death," June said sadly.  
  
Really, Max thought. The irony. "If you don't mind, let me clear up. You two get off to that party, and I'll stay behind and finish clearing the dishes."  
  
June frowned. "I couldn't," she said.  
  
"No, I insist," Max said. "I'm sure that party's getting started any minute now. You better hurry up."  
  
June still looked inclined to argue, but Edward laid an gentle hand on her forearm, and relaxed. "Rag's over there," June said. "Dishes go in here, cutlery goes in..."  
  
Max listened carefully, then began wrapping up leftovers, as Edward and June exited the kitchen, Edward throwing a grateful glance at Max. They called down Serena, who went down, throwing a glare at Max as she passed, and all three of them left. The silence was suddenly deafening.  
  
Max looked around. "So this is what life is going to be like," he thought. No more excitement. No more battles. No more treasure hunting, or long travels around the world.  
  
Perfect, Max thought, as he began to start on the dishes.  



	4. Breakup

Sorry, this is really, really slow I know. I'm just trying to develop plot here, it'll pick up, really it will, don't leave :P  
  
Chapter 4  
  
As Uranbatol came into sight, Lowe's heart leapt, as he realized he would finally, finally be off this little corner of hell that was christened Navarow. Not that Lowe didn't appreciate the ship; he admired it for surviving through two ship battles, four long sea voyages, and one rebuilding process. The ship also managed to survive through the "friendly" duels that Tao and Anri had said, that always seemed to get out of hand. Lowe winced as he recalled the blazing inferno that had almost destroyed the ship's larder. Luckily, that wacky magical creature Domingo was able to put it out with a quick freeze spell.  
  
As Uranbatol came closer into view, Lowe realized that Balbaroy wasn't kidding about the welcoming party. There were hundreds of people, all packed into the shipyard, and spilling out in to the streets of Uranbatol. "The shipyards have changed." Lowe said to Hans, who happened to be the closest nearby.  
  
Hans put on a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, the last time we were here, the shipyard was barely big enough to fit, say, a 70 people," Lowe explained. "But, as you can see, there are hundreds of people out there. Therefore, they must have expanded the shipyards, otherwise that amount of people wouldn't be able to fit."  
  
Hans scratched his head. "You, using logic. Impressive."  
  
"Thank you," Lowe said sarcastically.  
  
Hans put one hand over his eyes, and peered out. "What's going to happen anyway? Balbaroy, did you notice anything while you were there?"   
  
Balbaroy thought back. "Oh, nothing much. Just a marked-off path leading from the shipyard, that leads to a raised platform."  
  
Hans grimaced. "Uh oh. A raised platform? That means a speech."  
  
Lowe grimaced as well. "By the Ancients, I hate speeches. I'm not doing it. Who do you think should can give a proper speech? Not me, for sure."  
  
"I'll do it," came a new voice, from directly behind Lowe. Lowe jumped.  
  
"My, my. Touchy," said Hans, grinning. "You sure you up to it Nova?"  
  
Nova, who had been the biggest guiding force behind the Shining Force, behind Max, nodded solemnly. "As ambassador of Guardiana, I had to give speeches all the time, to other nations. Normally, I would think Princess Anri would be most capable, however, in her current condition..." Nova trailed off.  
  
Hans and Lowe glanced at each other, and nodded. Anri didn't look capable of anything at the moment. Along with Lowe and Mae, she had been the most affected by Max's disappearance, and supposed death. While Lowe and Mae had finally come to the acceptance with the fact that Max was gone, Anri was still torn up about it.  
  
Nova gave a faint smile, and continued. "Besides, I'm the only non-combat member of the Shining Force. I can tell about your exploits with a certain degree of impartiality, since I do not have my own individual heroics to exaggerate, since certain people might let their egos get in the way of their speech.   
  
"I do NOT have an ego," Hans stuttered.  
  
Nova raised an eyebrow. "YOU do not have an ego? YOU, the self proclaimed 'expert marksman?' The one who boasted to be the best archer in the land?"  
  
"Ha! Best archer in the land, my foot." This remark came from Diane who, along with Luke, had wandered over to see what all the commotion was about.  
  
"I was drunk," Hans muttered. "They kept on buying round after round. I might have said something along those lines, but that had to be an exaggeration."  
  
Luke grinned. His tiny eyes sparkled. "No, that was exactly what you said. I was there, remember? To make sure you, along with Lowe and Arthur, got back to headquarters safely. We don't want another repeat of what happened to Lowe." Everyone chuckled at the memory.  
  
Lowe hastily changed the subject. "Hey, we're almost there. I'll go round everyone up." He hurried off, ignoring the snickers that came from the group.  
  
*  
  
2 hours later, Navarow was about to arrive in Uranbatol, and the Shining Force stood on deck, all decked out in battle costume. Lowe fidgeted. "Tell me again why we have to do this?" he said out loud.  
  
Nova answered. "You are the heroes who have just saved the world from the greatest evil ever seen. Thus, you are to be held up as shining examples of Light, and because of that, you are decked out in your battle attire."  
  
"Couldn't I do that in something more comfortable," Lowe muttered. "These robes chafe."  
  
Diane smiled mischievously. "But you look so handsome in them," she said slyly. Lowe turned beet red.  
  
"Enough about Lowe, Diane. How's my hair?" Arthur ran his fingers through his hair, which was freshly washed and combed.  
  
Diane snorted. "So that's why you were in the bathroom for half an hour?"  
  
Arthur grinned. "There's going to be many young ladies in that crowd, over there. If I want to make a lasting impression, I have to look my best."  
  
Diane rolled her eyes. "And what about you?" Arthur continued. "You spent the last half-hour in that bathroom as well. Is that some light makeup I spot?"  
  
Diane blushed. Arthur continued, "And is that perfume? In between travels and fighting Darksol's minions, when did you find time to visit a cosmetic store?"  
  
"Yeah, see um, the thing about that is..." Diane muttered.  
  
"Sorry, what was that? You just sort of trailed off there."  
  
"Shut up. Your hair's fine, that's all you wanted to hear."   
  
"Thank you." The ship came to a halt, and Balbaroy and Amon quickly tied the ship down to the dock, in order to prevent the ship from floating away. They flew back to where the rest of the group awaited, and flew to their positions.  
  
"I thought you two had sensitive ears," Tao yelled over the din of the crowd, which was deafening.  
  
Amon and Balbaroy didn't seem to hear her. Tao suddenly noticed the large cloves of...something...stuck in their ears. "Wish I'd thought of that."  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, look sharp. It's show time," said Mae, who was at the head of the group. Together, they travelled down the awaiting ramp, where a huge throng awaited them.  
  
The roar of the crowd seemed to increase ten fold as the Shining Force, in their shiny armour and outlandish robes, came into view. The Shining Force slowly walked along the marked off path leading toward an raised platform. Lowe and Zylo were both blushing, with Zylo looking particularly humorous, as it didn't seem that his thick fur would allow such an expression.  
  
Both Arthur and Diane were putting on a strange sort of strut. Arthur ran his fingers through his shoulder-length hair, and tossed his hair back, letting the breeze flow through his hair. Diane tossed her head back in a similar fashion, and put on her most charming smile. A sudden sigh came from the crowd, that seemed to come mostly from the young men and women scattered through the crowd. Arthur grinned, then suddenly fell flat on his face, as he slipped on a patch of ice that had mysteriously appeared out of nowhere. Tao looked away, with an innocent look on her face.  
  
"Need to be more careful, Arthur," Diane grinned. She spoke too soon. Right after she said that, she slipped on a patch of ice that had materialized out of nowhere, and landed flat on her back. Enraged, she immediately got up. She glared at Tao, but Tao wasn't anywhere near her. Neither was Anri. Which only left...  
  
"Domingo!" Diane grabbed the magical little creature, and shook him. "You do that again, and I will use your little octopus body for target practice, you hear!" Domingo just simply blinked at her. "You hear me, you little slime-ball! You hear...ugh...zzzz."   
  
As Diane was launching her tirade against Domingo, she inexplicably became tired. She let go of him, and slumped to the floor, using her arms as pillows, fast asleep. Tao glanced over from where she had been ridiculing Arthur for making a fool of himself. Arthur himself was bright red from embarrassment.  
  
"I shouldn't have taught you that Sleep spell," Tao remarked casually.  
  
Domingo snickered, which sounded odd coming from a figure that had no mouth. "But it's SO fun to use! Like that time I put Guntz to sleep, remember?"   
  
Tao remembered all right. Guntz had been navigating his way through a crowded marketplace when Domingo thought it would be amusing to try out his new Sleep spell. Tao winced as she recalled the immense property damage that had been caused when Guntz's suit, with Guntz asleep at the helm, barreled its way through the market, smashing aside stands, with people diving out of its way, finally coming to a stop after running into a castle wall. Domingo had not been repentant after that incident.  
  
"Whatever," Tao said. "Just try to be more careful, alright?"  
  
"I'll take that into consideration." Domingo sighed, and floated away, wanting to get a good head start before Tao woke up Diane. Once Diane was woken up, she reached for her Buster Shot, before muttering "Too many witnesses." The Shining Force reached the platform without further incident. Nova stepped up, and started to give his speech:  
  
"People of Rune, I give you the Shining Force..."  
  
*  
  
The celebrations had lasted all night, and every member of the Shining Force was feeling tired. There had been an very large supply of wine, and spirits, and thus, most of the members of the Shining Force sported some degree of a hangover, except for Domingo, who couldn't drink, and Balbaroy and Amon, who refused to touch any sort of alcohol. They had all awakened early to get a fresh start for their long journey home. Most of them were feeling fairly let down, as this would be separating and going their own ways. Half of the Shining Force had already stayed behind overseas, and they had said their goodbyes then, but the rest of them had stayed together up until now. Diane was the first to leave.  
  
"Well, it's been great guys. Drop by if you're ever in Bustoke, alright?" Diane left, off to return to the mountain town of Bustoke.  
  
Vankar smiled. "I'm off to Pao, if I can find the place. It's been an honour fighting with you guys. Earnest, let's go?"   
  
Earnest nodded. Together, they left, for the travelling town of Pao.  
  
"I'm going to Manarina, for some R and R. Luckily, I won't be alone. Domingo said he'd be coming with me."   
  
Domingo nodded, which involved him bobbing up and down. "I want to check out the mage school, see if I can pick up anything. After that, I'll take in some sights, I'm tired of seeing the same people." Tao glared at this last remark. It was typical Domingo. Arthur galloped off, with Domingo floating behind.  
  
Khris nodded solemnly. "I'm going back to Alterone. I'll see what kind of assistance I can give with the rebuilding process, after we wrecked it in that last battle." She walked away, waving.  
  
Gort smiled. "I've always been a fan of the theatre. I'm going to head out to Rindo for a while. Balbaroy, Amon, you still heading with me?"  
  
Balbaroy nodded. "We shall accompany you to Rindo. From there, we shall help convert Shade Abbey to a Cathedral of Light, back from the darkness Darksol perverted it with." Balbaroy and Amon took off into the open sky, with Gort following underneath.  
  
Which left Hans, Tao, Luke, Ken, Lowe, Mae, and Anri.   
  
"So. All set for the home stretch?" said Luke.  
  
Everyone nodded. Lowe noticed that Anri still looked rather pale, and was wincing, probably from the hangover she still carried. She had drank an surprising amount of wine last night. She had continually downed drinks until she had fallen unconscious, and was carried off by Diane and Tao up to the room that was prepared for her.   
  
"Anri, are you alright?" Lowe asked, concerned.  
  
The Princess of Guardiana gave a weak smile. "I'm fine, Lowe. We have to get back as soon as possible. I have to check that everything the rebuilding process is running smoothly in Guardiana."  
  
Lowe was surprised, though he immediately realized he shouldn't be. Of course, Anri would be assuming the throne, and with it, all the responsibilities that came with being ruler. Anyone could see that she was more than up to the task. She was kind, fair, and had a strong sense of what was right. The time was right for Anri to assume the throne.  
  
Mae smiled. "I have to get back as well, to rebuild our defenses. We were really hit hard when Runefaust attacked. I have to start recruiting new soldiers, and beef up our training programs, so that tragedy can never happen again."   
  
Mae suddenly looked sad. "If only Max was still alive. He would be more than capable of doing my job."  
  
Anri looked downcast as well. "I have to arrange for a memorial service," she said solemnly. "Max is a hero that shall never be forgotten in Guardiana."  
  
"Max wouldn't have liked that," Lowe said, as Anri looked surprised. "He wouldn't have wanted all that bother. He would just say he was just a regular guy, even though he was nothing but regular."  
  
"We'll never know, now," Anri said quietly. They all nodded, solemnly.  
  
Quietly, without further conversation, the last remnants of the Shining Force set off for their hometown of Guardiana.  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Mystery

BTW, I was playing through Shining Force when I realized Anri, who in an earlier chapter gave the White Ring to, can't equip it! Doh! Thus, in order to fix this gaping plot hole, this is an alternate universe of Shining Force, yeah, that's it...  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Edward Draco was quite pleased that he had hired Peregrin. For a young man who had looked like he could collapse and die any minute when Edward first met him, Peregrin brought an amazing amount of energy and enthusiasm. He was always the first to awaken, the last to retire. He completed his tasks with such high speed and efficiency that, as a result, Edward had a lot more free time on his hands. Because of Peregrin's efforts, the farm was having one of the most successful years ever. Peregrin even found time to help around the house, mopping floors, cleaning dishes, milking cows, all without complaint. June absolutely loved him, and was always forcing second, third, and fourth helpings at mealtimes, and fussed about his clothes, and whether he was getting enough sleep. He even refused to take any additional wages or bonuses. Little did Peregrin know, that situation would change soon enough.  
  
Edward and Peregrin were out threshing wheat. Edward sighed as he realized how pitifully smaller the section he had done was compared to Peregrin's. Must be getting old, he surmised. "Peregrin, come on in!" Edward shouted out to Peregrin.  
  
Peregrin looked up, wiping the sweat off his brow. "What? The sun still hasn't even gone down yet!"  
  
Edward sighed. That was Peregrin all right: always eager to slave away. Sometimes, Edward had to pull him away from his job. "I know, but we've got to run into the village, to pick up some things. I thought maybe you'd come along."  
  
Peregrin nodded. "Why do you need me to come along?"  
  
Edward snorted. "For one, those clothes you're wearing are going to fall off your back anyday now. We have to get you properly outfitted for the coming winter."  
  
Peregrin looked down at his clothes, which was extremely weathered. "I'll be fine. Don't worry."  
  
Edward shook his head. Peregrin was almost too unselfish. Which was one of the reasons that the Dracos loved him. Second, I thought maybe we could stop by the pub for a few drinks."  
  
Peregrin shook his head doubtfully. "I don't know..."  
  
Edward laughed. "Come on! You haven't taken a break in the 6 months since you've gotten here!"  
  
Peregrin frowned. "Not true, there was that time 2 months ago. I took a break then."  
  
Edward sighed. "That's because you slipped and fell off the roof of the barn. June kept you in bed to rest from your injuries, and you still wanted to go out to work."  
  
Peregrin smiled. "I heal fast."  
  
It was quite true. Peregrin had been up and about a day after, whereas anyone else would have been killed. It was just one of the remarkable facts about Peregrin. "Anyway, you're going, and that's, um, an order!" Edward said, with a stern look on his face.  
  
Peregrin lifted one eyebrow. "You never give orders."  
  
Edward smiled, because it was true. He always asked politely. Of course, Edward didn't have to do that much, because Peregrin always seemed to know what the day required, even before Edward did. "Well, I'm giving one now."  
  
"You're the boss," Peregrin said, defeated. He suddenly froze. "Is, uh, Serena going?"  
  
Edward grinned. "Yes."  
  
Peregrin began to sweat. "And is, uh..."  
  
Edward grin became even wider. "Yes, Sam and Ginny are coming along as well. We usually make these trips together."  
  
Edward found the expression on Peregrin's face to be priceless. He was nervous, because of the fact that Serena's best friend, and Sam's daughter, Ginny, was coming along as well. The thing was, Ginny had been very taken with Peregrin when they had first met, and was paying a lot of attention to him. Peregrin, on the other hand, just looked very uncomfortable, and was always nervous in her presence.   
  
Peregrin didn't seem to have any problems with Serena though. After a frosty start, they seemed to be getting along, though not friendly with each other, they were at least getting by politely.  
  
Peregrin was still standing there, looking worried. Edward laughed.  
  
"Clean up, and we'll meet you in front in an hour."  
  
*  
  
One hour later, Peregrin, Serena, and Edward were standing outside, waiting for Sam, and his daughter Ginny. Suddenly, a shout was heard. "Ho, Edward!"  
  
This shout came from Sam, who quickly came up to Edward, and gave him a hug. Edward gasped as he felt his ribs being squeezed."  
  
"How are you, old fellow!" Sam said jovially.  
  
"You're..crushing..me," Edward wheezed out. Sam let go quickly. Meanwhile, Ginny walked up to where Serena and Peregrin had been standing together.  
  
"Hi Serena!" Ginny chirped, giving her friend a hug. She turned to Peregrin, and before he could do anything, stepped up VERY close to him, and threw her arms around his midsection. "Hi Peregrin," Ginny said, slyly.  
  
"He..he..hello," Peregrin stammered out. Edward chuckled, as Serena scowled. Ginny finally let go, as Peregrin blushed furiously.  
  
"Let's go," Edward said, and they strode off toward the awaiting village, while the sun waned in the afternoon sky.  
  
*  
  
Max was just glad to be able to get away from Ginny for a while. Her attentions just made him nervous. Ginny and Serena had wandered off on their own, to look at some dresses. Max had hastily declined Ginny's invitation to accompany them, citing the excuse that he had to help Edward and Sam out. Now, after acquiring some new clothes, they were currently in a weapons shop. Edward was currently getting his hatchet sharpened, as it the edge had blunted.  
  
Edward paid the shopkeeper, then turned to Max. "Peregrin, do you know how to use a sword?"  
  
Max froze. Have they figured something out?  
  
"Because if you can, we should get one for you. Never can be too careful nowadays, there's thieves everywhere," Edward continued.  
  
Max inwardly gave a sigh of relief. "Yes, a bit," he said cautiously. "I can't afford one though." This was actually a lie. During his travels with the Shining Force, Max usually held onto a large supply of gold, in case they had to make some purchases. He probably had enough gold to buy the Draco's farm, and half of the surrounding village.  
  
Edward grinned. "I'm not asking you to pay for it. I'm buying one for you."  
  
"No...really...don't...," Max spluttered.  
  
Edward smiled. "You haven't accepted any kind of bonus since you've got here. This is my gift from me to you. Besides, we might need you to fend off some wild critters, or robbers. This is for my family's safety as well."  
  
Max nodded reluctantly. "I guess so," he said slowly. Max stepped up to the shopkeeper. "What do you have?" he asked.  
  
The shopkeeper smiled, then brought out a wide variety of swords, axes, lances, and spears, all of different shapes, sizes, and makes. Max selected one, but hesitated. He had never wanted to fight another battle again. However, here he was, about to pick up a sword again. He finally picked it up, and hefted it with one hand. Nice balance. He drew the sword out of its sheath, and took a few practice swings. Edward and Sam watched silently. Max sheathed the sword, then asked, "How much?"  
  
"1000 gold pieces," replied the shopkeeper.  
  
Max looked at Edward, questioningly. Edward replied by digging out his gold bag, and handing 10 large gold coins to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper nodded, and handed Max the sword along with a belt and harness. Max strapped it to his side, once again feeling the comforting weight of a sword. They left the store.  
  
"Where are we meeting Serena and Ginny?" asked Sam.  
  
"I told them to meet us at the pub," replied Edward. But when the trio reached the pub, Serena and Ginny were nowhere in sight. A frantic bartender went up to them.   
  
"They left...six men followed them out...they're members of Adom's group.   
  
"What! Which way did they go?" roared Edward.  
  
The barkeeper pointed. "They left that way...10 minutes ago."  
  
Edward ran off, with Max and Sam trailing behind.  
  
"Who's Adom?" asked Max, as they ran.  
  
"A particularly nasty thief, slave trader, and mercenary," Sam replied grimly. "He leads a group of his cut-throats, all not particularly shining members of society. We need to catch up to them soon, there's no telling what can happen." They reached a three way fork in the road. They looked at each other.  
  
"I'll take left," Max said quickly. "Edward, centre, Sam, right." They ran off quickly in the respective directions.  
  
*  
  
Dammit, Serena thought, as she and Ginny backed away from the pack of leering, drunken men. All they had wanted was a drink, while they waited for their fathers to return. Unfortunately, they had caught the eye of the rowdy bunch of men, who were themselves quite drunk. Serena and Ginny had quickly left the tavern, hoping to avoid trouble, but the drunks followed them outside. Now, Serena and Ginny backed away, cornered in an alleyway, Serena wondered how the hell she was going to get out of this. All the men were bearing an crest, with a drawing of a skull with glowing red eyes. The crest of Adom's Mercenaries. No townspeople were willing to interfere, as it would only result in the deaths. It looked like they were on their own.  
  
One drunken man extended both arms toward Serena. She waited until she was almost within his grasp, then ducked, and kneed him, directly in the groin. He stepped back, groaning. While the rest of the group had an silly, leering expression, this dissapeared at this act, replaced by looks of anger. Together, as a pack, they moved toward Ginny and Serena. Serena glanced at Ginny, who was currently slumped on the floor, crying. She would be of no help here. Serena prepared to go down, fighting.  
  
The first man reached toward Serena. Serena growled, and slapped the man across the face, hard, curving her fingers into a claw. The man fell back, with his hand to his face. When he lifted his hand, it was stained with blood. Three men came toward her, and as she swung to hit one of them, he caught her wrist. Seizing the other one, the three men forced her down, while she struggled, spitting and screaming. One of the men started to undo his belt, when he was interrupted by an fist flying in his face. The other two men heard his groan, then looked up, just in time to catch a kick to the thigh, and a hard blow into the stomach, respectively. All six men backed away, snarling with rage, allowing Serena to see who the newcomer was.  
  
It was Peregrin. He was standing between her, and the six men. Ginny was hunched down, sobbing. Peregrin knelt down, and looked at her. Serena was amazed as she saw the fire brewing in his eyes. He was clearly enraged. "Are you all right?" he asked.  
  
Serena snorted. "What do you think?" she asked sarcastically. They travelled over to Ginny, who was bawling. Serena laid an comforting hand on her shoulder, and hugged her protectively, while Peregrin stood up. Serena gasped as he drew his sword.  
  
"No. There's too many of them," she whispered fearfully.  
  
Peregrin glanced down at her. She could see him trembling with rage. He turned toward the six men, who were all watching warily.  
  
"Leave now, and I'll spare your lives," Peregrin spat out.  
  
Adom's Mercenaries looked at each other, looked at Peregrin, then burst out in laughter. "You're going to stop us, farm boy?" one sneered.  
  
A second one spoke up. "Don't you know who you're dealing with? We're Adom's Mercenaries!"  
  
Peregrin looked unimpressed. "Last chance. Leave now, before it's too late."  
  
Adom's Mercenaries looked at each other, and grinned. Together, they all drew their swords, and charged, with Peregrin rushing at them. Serena covered her eyes.  
  
The sounds of steel stabbing through flesh came, as well as the cries of pain. Metal clashed upon metal. A final scream, then a gurgle, and then all was silent. Serena opened her eyes, and blinked.  
  
Lying around Peregrin were six dead bodies, some with cut throats, others with stab wounds, and all had blood pooling beneath them. Peregrin himself didn't have a scratch. He wasn't even breathing hard.  
  
"You...how did you..." Serena sputtered, amazed. He was just a farm boy! Where had he picked up such deadly skill with the sword?  
  
Peregrin wasn't listening. He looked to be in shock, as he stared at the bodies lying around him. "It's happening again," he whispered. Suddenly, he seemed to come out of his reverie, and glanced with concern to where Serena and Ginny were hunched together. He quickly wiped his sword on one of the bodies, sheathed it, then hurried over.  
  
"How are you two?" Max looked with worry from Serena, to Ginny, and back. Ginny lifted her head from where it had been resting, buried in the crook of Serena's arm. She cast a bemused glance over at the six bodies, then to Peregrin, who's coveralls were drenched with blood. "Oh, Peregrin!" She threw her arms around him, and broke down completely.  
  
Peregrin froze completely. He awkwardly patted her on her back. Serena smiled.  
  
"Peregrin! Serena! Ginny!" shouts came, as Edward and Sam came running up, followed by a group of the town's citizens, armed with swords, hatchets, and even pitchforks. Peregrin quickly let go of Ginny. Edward stretched his arms toward Serena, and enfolded her in an hug, while Sam did the same with Ginny. Meanwhile, Peregrin stood by awkwardly.  
  
"Are you OK, sweetie?" Edward whispered in Serena's ear. Serena smiled. "I am, thanks to Peregrin. He single-handedly defeated them all."  
  
Edward turned to Peregrin, amazed. "Thank you Peregrin. I owe you, big time." Sam nodded in agreement. "As do I."   
  
One of the men who had come with Edward were checking over the bodies, confirming that were in fact dead. He turned toward Peregrin, amazed. "These are members of Adom's Mercenaries. How did you pull this off? You killed six of their men, without a scratch?"  
  
"Where did you gain such skill with the sword," another said breathlessly. Everyone waited for Peregrin's answer.  
  
Peregrin looked uncomfortable. His feet shuffled from side to side. "I, um, just got lucky. I picked up some stuff on my travels. They were drunk, and underestimated me." Serena looked at him strangely. To her, it looked like his eyes were blinking rapidly, and were darting from side to side. Maybe she was just imagining things.  
  
"Dad," said Ginny pitifully, "can we go home now?"  
  
"Of course," Sam quickly replied. He glanced toward Edward, who nodded. "Peregrin, you coming?"  
  
Peregrin, who was deep in thought, glanced up, and nodded. He took the lead, and the crowd that had developed parted before him, in awe. A sobbing Ginny, comforted by Sam, followed, while Serena and Edward brought up the rear.  
  
Edward looked at Serena with concern in his eyes. "You're alright?"  
  
Serena smiled. She found his concern touching. He always tried to look out for her, and though it was usually aggravating, Serena appreciated it now. "I'm fine. Peregrin stopped them before they could do anything."  
  
Edward nodded slowly. "Yes, Peregrin. Did you see..." he trailed off.  
  
Serena shook her head. "I had my eyes covered. One moment, they were charging toward each other, and the next minute I looked up, there were six dead Mercenaries."  
  
Edward shook his head in wonder. "He truly is amazing. Who is he, really, I wonder."  
  
Serena thought about it. Peregrin had never let his past known, which led Serena to speculate on his origins. Due to his fighting skill, he seemed to have some kind of military training. If so, what was he doing out here? Serena had many questions that she wanted to ask, but each time she tried to broach the subject of Peregrin's past, he would quickly turn unresponsive, and evasive. Serena soon quickly gave up, and until now, she had learned nothing about him. But now, she wanted to know. He seemed to have some inner pain inside of him. There was strength inside of Peregrin that he hid from everyone. Serena was intrigued. He was an mystery to her, an enigma that must be solved. She resolved to find out who Peregrin really was, and get his story.  
  
Together, they all set off back for home.  
  



	6. Training

Sorry for the lack of updates lately. The reason behind this is because of the terrifying evil known as school. Hopefully, I'll be able to release chapters quicker in the future. I'm not really happy with this chapter, if anyone knows how I can improve it please e-mail at strider_yoshi@yahoo.com. Again, don't forget to review!  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Max sighed as he ate his breakfast. He was really tired of all the attention he was getting lately. People gave him a wide berth wherever he went, whispering and gawking. He was being treated with an almost reverent awe in all his dealings, whereas previously he had been treated in a friendly manner. People were being very careful to treat him politely. Shopkeepers would give him discounts when he travelled into the village to pick up goods, and would flinch every time he made a sudden movement, as if he was going to break out into a murderous rage at any moment. It was somewhat unsettling to Max. He had enjoyed being a nobody, simply a farmer's help. Now, he was an instant hero, and he found the attention almost reminiscent of his travels during the battle against Darksol. Max did not appreciate it at all.  
  
Even the Dracos were treating him differently. For a few days, they had treated him with the same kind of awe he had received from everyone else. Now, things had gone back to the way they were before, except that his relationship with Serena had changed. Whereas she had been cold and indifferent toward him, she was now warm, respectful, friendly. Max appreciated this. However, Max was somewhat tired of the questions she peppered him with. It was as if her personal goal in life was to find out as much about him as she could. She asked polite, carefully worded questions about his childhood, like where he was born, where he had grown up, had he ever been in the army? Max had never liked lying, and had to be careful that he wasn't caught in one. He tried to keep his story as factual as possible: He was born and bred in Guardiana. He was orphaned at an early age. He had left a few years ago, to travel. He had never served in the military, but had been trained by a great knight, who had passed away. Serena and the Dracos hung on to every word with relish. Max didn't like to lie to them, but he really had no choice.  
  
A knock came from the front door. Max started to get up, but Serena smiled, and stopped him by gently pushing him down back onto his chair. She went to open the door.  
  
"Peregrin?" she called. "Um, it's for you."  
  
Max got up. He walked slowly to the front foyer, and blinked.  
  
There, waiting on the porch, were about a dozen young men and women. They were all holding some kind of weapon, and currently, all twelve eyes were staring at Max, in awe. Max slowly walked over to them. "Uh, good morning. Can I help you?"  
  
A young man, barely out of his teens, with somewhat messy black hair, stepped forward. "Um, a bunch of us, here, um, were wondering, if you could, wait. What we're trying to say, um, is, uh..."  
  
A girl with long brown hair tied up in a neat ponytail, rolled her eyes, and slapped him upside the head. "What Victor is trying to say here is, we were wondering if you would mind training us."  
  
Victor rubbed his head. "Lydia, you didn't have to do that."  
  
Lydia shook her head. "Anyway, after you, um, disposed of those mercenaries, a bunch of us started wondering. What if that happened to us? Or our families?"  
  
Victor, glaring at Lydia, spoke up. "So we were hoping you could teach us how to fight. That way, in case those mercenaries try something, we could stop them."  
  
All twelve of them nodded. Max was nonplussed.  
  
"You want me to train you?" he asked, as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Why me?"  
  
A bulky, young man with a lance strapped across his shoulder spoke up. "No one in this area has any combat experience, and judging from what happened a few weeks ago, you do."  
  
Max scratched his head. "But you're all so young."  
  
"Come on, you're not exactly a grizzled old man yourself," said Lydia, with a disgusted look on her face.  
  
Max smiled inwardly. Although he was still a young man, to him, life was not measured in years, it was measured in experience. Max had seen enough things to last him a lifetime.  
  
"Anyway, we're just a year or two younger than when Max, Hero of Rune, started training," Vincent finished. Max groaned. They had to bring up that example? He also didn't like the new title that the world seemed to have appended onto his martyred image.  
  
Max was still unsure. "I still don't know if I'm the right person to be teaching you. I've never actually tried teaching anything. I'm not sure if I'm qualified."  
  
Serena smiled. "I think you're qualified enough," she said. She nodded to the rest of the group hanging outside on the porch, and went back inside. Max blushed.  
  
Max thought it over. Their reasons were valid. He could imagine Adom's Mercenaries coming back for revenge. If that happened, and people died, how could he live with himself? As well, Max remembered when Lord Varios had started to train him, on his own time. He had shown kindness, and a willingness to help others, rather then think of himself the entire time. Max thought it would be best to follow his example.  
  
"Are you serious about this? It's going to be a lot of hard work."  
  
They looked at each other, then looked back at Max with determined looks. Max took that as a yes.  
  
"All right, I'll train you," Max said. They all broke out into grins.   
  
"And I'm coming too," piped up Serena, who had come back from the kitchen.  
  
"Are you sure?" Max asked. "What does your father say?"  
  
"Oh, my father likes the idea. In fact, he's giving me time off my chores and you time off work."  
  
Max hadn't thought about scheduling. He turned back to the rest of them. "When do you guys have free time?"  
  
Victor spoke up. "Indefinitely. Our parents realize this is really important, should anything happen."  
  
Max smiled. "Perfect." He glanced back at Serena, who was currently holding Edward's sword. "Serena, are you sure?"  
  
Serena smiled. "Peregrin, when have you known me to be indecisive?"  
  
Max grinned. "Alright. As our first task, we're all taking a run. Come on" Max set the pace, and jogged off. Everyone else, Serena included, followed.  
  
*  
  
Max shook his head as he looked at his "trainees." Every last one of them was lying on the ground, gasping for air. "Come on, we didn't run that far."  
  
"We...must have run...10 kilometres," Victor wheezed.  
  
Max snorted. "Once I'm done with you, you'll be running 20 no problem. Come on, everyone, get up."  
  
"Give...me...a...second," Lydia gasped. She tried to get up, but collapsed back onto the ground. On the second try, she managed to prop her self up to her hands and knees. Max sighed, and waited. Soon enough, they had all climed back up to their feet, every single last one of them drenched in sweat.  
  
"We'll be doing this every day." Max said. Everyone groaned. "Now, we're going to the weapons shop."  
  
"Why?" asked Victor.  
  
"Well, you happen to be holding a real axe. If you happen to accidentally hit someone with it, it's going to hurt, a lot." Victor nervously fingered his axe. "So I'm going to buy some protective padding, so we all don't kill each other."  
  
They set off for the weapons shop. Once there, Max spoke to the shopkeeper. "I'm going to need fourteen full body suits."  
  
The shopkeeper gaped at Max. "That's going to be custom work, it'll be expensive."  
  
Max shrugged. The shopkeeper continued "I'm going to need 10 000 gold in advance, with 30 000 later."  
  
Max dug out his gold bag, quickly took out a number of high denomination coins, and handed them to the shopkeeper. Serena stared at the bulging money bag. "How...how..." she said weakly.  
  
Max grinned sheepishly. "I've saved my money really well."  
  
Serena had an disbelieving look on her face. Max quickly led the group off on another run. The afternoon sun was burning in the sky, as they reached the Draco farm. Everyone except Max collapsed on the ground. Max rolled his eyes and waited for everyone to recover.  
  
"Every day, we're going to be running like this." Max said, then waited for everyone to finish groaning. "As soon as I think you're all fit, we'll start on basic combat skills, then we'll move on to more advanced techniques, and eventually, full-fledged sparring."  
  
"I want everyone to go home, get a meal, get some sleep." Everyone started to sigh with relief. "Because you'll be up at dawn tomorrow." Max finished. "Class dismissed."  
  
Max's trainees went off, sore, but excited. Though they were all tired, they realized that they had been pushed to their limits, and beyond. They could already feel improvement in their endurance, and stamina. They knew that they were getting results.  
  
Max watched them go off, and fell into deep thought, as he planned what he was going to do. First of all, he was going to whip them into the best physical shape they would ever be in. Next, perhaps some work on basic skills, like parrying, blocking, attacking. Next, some work on agility, then perhaps some sparring...  
  
A hand laid lightly on Max's shoulder broke up his thoughts. "Peregrin, it's time for dinner," said Serena. Max realized that he had forgotten all about her.  
  
"Sorry," he said guiltily. "I was thinking."  
  
"No need to apologize. That's no crime." Serena said. She looked exhausted. She had dark bags under her eyes, and her long hair was tangled, and sweaty.   
  
"How are you feeling?" Max asked.  
  
"What every other one of your students feel. Tired," said Serena wryly. "Except for you, everyone else is beat."  
  
"All that work on the fields paid off," Max shrugged.  
  
"Indeed. What were you thinking of?"  
  
"I was just thinking. What if I don't teach them well. What if Victor, or Lydia, or any of them goes into battle, and dies, because I didn't train them adequately? I'm not sure if I'm the right person to be doing this."  
  
"Peregrin, you'll do fine."  
  
"Thanks, Serena." Max smiled, as they went back to the Draco's house, where dinner awaited.  



	7. Back for revenge

I really, really apologize for the lack of updates. School is really, really keeping me busy. Anyway, hopefully I can crank out chapters faster in the future. I've cut this chapter a bit short, in order to post it. The battle's next! Remember to review, people. I'm going to try to finish the next chapter as soon as possible, I have NOT abandoned this fic, I'm just really busy.  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Max trained his group hard, and he trained them well. He usually never had to get his points across by shouting: he had the respect of every person he taught. Max just seemed to breathe authority. Over several months, Max taught his group well, running them through drill after drill, combat skills, training them in the use of different weapons. Even Serena developed a new-found strength, and agility. Everyone was reaching their peak potential under Max's leadership, and watchful eye.  
  
"Vincent, don't hold your lance like that."  
  
"Why? It seems fine to me?"  
  
"Because of this."  
  
"OW! THAT HURT!"  
  
"You can't fight well with a sprained wrist, which is what you'll get if you block an attack holding an lance like that."  
  
"Ouch...OK. I'd better get some ice for this."  
  
"Of course. After these drills."  
  
"But I'm in pain, here!"  
  
"Don't need your wrist to run, do you? Anyway, it's just a sprain. It'll heal. Get back in line."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Most importantly, however, was that Max trained his group to work as a team together. They learned how to support each other in battle, to help out friends in need. Together, everyone became close through a sense of camaraderie, a mutual goal. However, their first test came in just a few short months after they had begun training.  
  
Max was running his team through a basic weapons drill when Edward came charging out of his farm, toward him. Max held up his hand, signalling a stop, and waited with worry as Edward ran up to him, gasping for air. Max waited for him to catch his breath.  
  
"We've got a problem, Peregrin." Edward said. Max waited. "Remember Adom's Mercenaries?"  
  
Max nodded. "What about them?"  
  
Edward grimaced. "Adom's coming after you. He wants your blood for what you did to his men."  
  
Max wasn't too worried. "Maybe I should just leave. I can go places he wouldn't be able to find me."  
  
Edward shook his head. "That's not the worst part. He says that if he can't find you, he's going to start burning the village down until he finds you!" Gasps came from the crowd behind Max. "He's a ruthless killer, Peregrin. If he makes a claim like that, he'll follow through."  
  
Now Max was worried. Putting his own life on the line was one thing, but if it hurt innocent people, that wasn't something he could stand. He mulled over his options. He could leave town, but that would probably mean that dozens of innocent people would die in his place. Or he could simply turn himself over. While he would die, it was possible that Adom would have his bloodlust satisfied, and leave the rest of the village alone. Or he could try fighting...  
  
"How many men are in Adom's Mercenaries?" Max asked.  
  
"I'm not sure, maybe three dozen." Peregrin replied.  
  
Max grimaced. Three dozen to one odds didn't give him a good chance of survival. Even with the hidden ace he had up his sleeve, the magic-filled Evil Ring, he still wasn't optimistic about his chances. Unfortunately, fighting them would be the only option left. Max was startled as a comforting hand was laid on his shoulder.  
  
"You're going to fight them, aren't you," Serena said, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.  
  
Max sighed. "That's the only choice left."  
  
Serena put on a determined look. "Peregrin, I'm coming with you."  
  
Vincent stepped forward. "And I."  
  
Lydia stood up. "Me too!"  
  
One by one, the rest of Max's trainees stood up, and declared their intentions. Max was dumbfounded.  
  
"There is NO way you guys are coming with me. You'll be killed!" Max exclaimed.  
  
"Says who," Serena stubbornly said. "You've trained us pretty well over the last few months. I think we have a good chance." Murmurs of agreement came.  
  
"Training is one thing. Combat experience is another." Max said. "This is a real battle, where people are going to try to kill you. This isn't some game!"   
  
Vincent scowled. "I don't care. You can't force us not to go! We'll follow you anyway."  
  
Lydia smiled. "Vincent, showing courage. Has the moon fallen?"   
  
Max shook his head. "There's no way you're letting me go alone, are you?  
  
Serena grinned. "That's right. We all have a better chance of survival if you accept that, and lead us. Without you, we're all going to die."  
  
Max slowly nodded his head. "All right then. But this is going to be tough. Most likely, some of you aren't coming back alive after this. If anyone wants to bow out, do so." There were no takers.  
  
Max smiled. "All right, looks like we have a battle on our hands." Everyone cheered. "Edward, I'm going to need a map of the surroundings."  
  
"I'm on it."  
  
"All right everyone, to the War Room"  
  
*  
  
The War Room turned out to be the Draco's kitchen. Everyone gathered around the fairly large table, where Max had spread out the topographical map of the immediate area.  
  
"All right, we're here." Max pointed on the map to a area marked with red squares, signifying a settlement. "Where's Adom's Mercenaries located at?"  
  
Edward pointed. "It's rumoured to be in the woods north of here."  
  
Max looked, and nodded. "Now Edward, I want your opinion. What's the route that Adom is most likely to take to get here?"  
  
"Well, there's really only one choice. There's the mountain pass, right here, and that's pretty much it, unless he doesn't mind hiking."  
  
"And when are they supposed to come?"  
  
"They said they'd be here in two weeks time. It's going to take them 2 days to reach the mountain path, and another day afterwards to come here."  
  
Max thought about it. A narrow mountain path would be perfect for an ambush. However, even with the element of surprise, and the fact that the mountain path was cramped, and didn't allow for room to spread out, there was still the fact that they were up against 3 to 1 odds. However, with a few tricks...  
  
"All right. Here's my plan. We let them get into the mountain path. Once they're in, we commence a pincer attack. Max pointed. "I'll lead a group here, south of the path. Serena will lead another group here, north."  
  
"Why does Serena get to lead?" Vincent asked indignantly.  
  
"Do you want to have a duel to settle it?" asked Serena, smiling sweetly?  
  
Vincent gulped, remembering how soundly she had beaten him in sparring matches. "No."  
  
"That's what I thought."  
  
Max cleared his throat. "Anyway, we both attack from the two sides. However, even with the fact that we are attacking from two fronts, we couldn't possibly beat them all. This is where I play our hidden card." Max pulled out the Evil Ring.  
  
"This ring can emit magical bolts of electricity, and is able to strike several people in a given area."  
  
Lydia gaped. "My grandfather told me about rings like those. They're really valuable, really rare, but usually cursed. How'd you get one?"  
  
Max shifted uncomfortably. How to explain? "Um, I picked it up on my travels." No one seemed to believe in. Serena had an sceptical look on her face. Max continued, "The important part is, with luck, we should be able to take out half of the group. That cuts the number of mercenaries we have to deal with. I have full faith in everyone's ability to hold in battle." Everyone smiled, and glowed with pride.  
  
"Questions?" Max asked.  
  
Trowe, a young warrior, raised his hand. "Where are we supposed to hide while they're coming through?"  
  
Max rubbed his chin. "Good question. From looking on this map, there seems to be a fair amount of caves. We just pick two, and go."  
  
Glenn, another one of Max's trainees, raised his hand. "What if something goes wrong? Do we have a plan B?"  
  
Max sighed. "If something goes wrong, then we're all dead. This is the only chance we have." Everyone was silent. "But we'll do it."  
  
"All right, I want everyone to get a good night's sleep. Tomorrow, we'll work out the final details, and prepare to move out. I'll assign duties to each of you in the morning. Be here at 9." Everyone nodded, then got up, and began exiting the kitchen, talking to each other about the upcoming battle.  
  
Max turned to Edward. "Edward, you've been very quiet about this so far. What do you think?"  
  
Edward sat back, to consider his answer. "There's nothing else we can do. If we don't do this, then Adom will just be able to terrorize us for the rest of our lives. Besides, if we do nothing, either way, innocent people die."  
  
Max nodded. "And are you sure you want Serena participating in this? These are bad odds."  
  
Edward sighed. "She's grown up. There's nothing I can do, even if I wanted to stop here. She's too stubborn to stay behind."  
  
Max nodded. "Then there's nothing to do but prepare."  
  
"Peregrin, do we have a chance?" Edward asked.  
  
"Yes, we do. I've trained them well. But, this is going to be their first battle. They're green soldiers. And we're heavily outnumbered as well."  
  
Max got up. "I'm going to head off to bed. In the morning, we make preparations. We should leave in about a week. That gives us time to set up, and prepare for Adom's arrival."  
  
"All right."  
  
*  
  
The week passed by quickly. Through all the preparations Max was making, planning out battles, running drills and simulations, and acquiring equipment, the dreaded day arrived in no time. Max and his group were making final preparations to leave. Families had come to see them off, and wish them luck. There were tears on both sides, as they realized that they might not see each other again. Max was currently watching the Draco's say their goodbyes.  
  
June was fighting to hold back tears. "Now you come back alive, you hear?"  
  
Serena scowled. "Don't worry about me, Mother. I can look after myself, I always have."  
  
"But you could be killed!"  
  
"Better out in the battlefield as a soldier then cowering at home."  
  
Edward extended his arms out toward his daughter. Serena stepped into his warm embrace, as Edward held her in a firm hug. "Now, be careful. What you're doing is right, but I don't want you taking any unnecessary risks, all right?"  
  
"Yes, Father."  
  
Edward glanced at Max solemnly. "Peregrin, can you look after her?"  
  
"I'll do my best," Max pledged.  
  
"And remember to follow Peregrin's lead, Serena," Edward said. "If you follow his orders, you can't go wrong. I have full faith in his abilities."  
  
"Yes Father, I understand."  
  
Edward extended a hand out to Max. "Good luck, Peregrin."  
  
Max grasped it firmly. "Thank you."  
  
June turned to Max. "Please, be careful, and keep her out of trouble!" she cried.  
  
"Mother!"  
  
Max sighed. "I'll try."  
  
"Peregrin?" came a new voice.  
  
Max turned. Waiting behind him, was Ginny. "Peregrin, please look after Serena for me."  
  
Max nodded solemnly. "I'll do my best."  
  
"And..." Ginny hesitated, "Look after yourself as well." She kissed Max on the cheek, making his face grow hot. "Good luck." Ginny quickly turned away, and went off to say her goodbyes to Serena.  
  
Max smiled, then looked up. The noon sun was currently beating down from the sky, showering him with its blazing heat. Time to leave.  
  
"Attention!"  
  
Max's trainees looked up, then assembled in rank.  
  
"We're moving out."  
  
"Yes sir!"  
  
Together, as a group, they turned, and set off along the path, without a backwards glance, prepared to face the troubles ahead.  



	8. The battle is at hand!

Once again, I am really sorry for cranking out chapters so slowly. I had an tournament to go to on the 10th, so I was really preparing myself for it. Now, I have some time on my hands (It's March break!) so hopefully, I will be able to write faster. Once again, feedback, flames, and reminders to get back to work can be sent to strider_yoshi@yahoo.com, and remember to review! Reviews help me uh...work harder...ok I lied, but it's always nice to get a review, let's you know what people think of your work. Cheers!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Nightfall.  
  
It was dark, with the only light coming from the moonlight, cold, and Serena was really, really tired. They had hiked, with little breaks, almost the entire day, until they had reached the foot of the mountain pass. After finding several suitable caves for Peregrin's plan, they had retired for the night, after eating a quick meal of rations. Right now, it was Serena's shift on watch. As she sat, scanning the horizons with some new invention called "binoculars," for any sign of activity, the boredom was beginning to take a toll on her, and she was beginning to feel drowsy. She glanced at her watch and cursed: she still had an hour left before her shift ended.   
  
Serena's thoughts began to wander. Despite her earlier show of confidence, she was wondering if she really would be able to lead an group of soldiers into battle. One wrong mistake on her part could cost her, her troops, and everyone else's lives: it was a huge responsibility. However, she knew that Peregrin had confidence in her abilities, and that gave her hope. With him leading, they would have a chance. The soft sound of approaching footsteps came from behind Serena, and she half turned, as Peregrin, looking calm as ever, sat down beside her.  
  
"You can turn in for the night." Peregrin said. "I'll take the rest of your shift."  
  
"No, it's alright. I just have another hour left, then my shift is done."  
  
"I'll keep you company then."  
  
"Peregrin, shouldn't you be asleep was well? You need your rest."  
  
"Over my lifetime, I've learned to go ready with a minimal amount of sleep. I just don't feel tired at all right now."  
  
Serena shrugged. "Fine." They were both silent for a while, with only the soft snoring coming from the members of Peregrin's soldiers breaking the silence.  
  
"Peregrin, can I ask you a question?"  
  
"You just did, but I'll give you another one."  
  
"Very witty," Serena said, rolling her eyes. "Peregrin, why do you do these things?"  
  
Peregrin turned to look at her, a questioning look on his face. "Huh?"  
  
Serena bit her lip, and searched her thoughts for a way to express what she was trying to ask. "You're not selfish. You saved Ginny and I, taking on terrible odds. There were other people who saw us, you know. But they knew better than to get involved. You, on the other hand, just jumped right in, without a second thought.  
  
"And your work on the farm. First to rise, last to go to bed. You're always constantly working, never taking breaks, never complaining. You almost drive Father crazy with your work ethic! It makes him look lazy.  
  
"Taking on a group of trainees, and training them to become skilled warriors. Investing all your time, without asking for any sort of payment."  
  
"And what we're doing right now! We're about to take on a group of ruthless criminals. Any other man would have fled, far, far away, and saved his own skin, even if it meant the death of other people. You, on the other hand, would never consider such a thing."  
  
"So I ask, why?"  
  
Peregrin didn't bother trying to lighten the situation with a joke, which Serena appreciated. Serena watched his face, silently, and saw him struggle to try to come up with an answer.   
  
"I've seen a lot of things during my lifetime."  
  
Serena waited.  
  
"One of them was the death of my teacher."  
  
"I'm sorry."  
  
"It's alright. He had a good life. Anyway, what he did, was selflessly trained me, when no one else would bother to look at a little urchin like me. He didn't have to do it. He got nothing out of it. Yet he did it anyway.  
  
"I'm just trying to follow his example. If I don't work hard, then I've betrayed what he's taught me over the years. If I don't help other people, I've betrayed his memory as well.  
  
He fell silent, and Serena realized he was finished. This was the first time he had really opened up about himself. Peregrin got up, and brushed himself off.  
  
"Where are you going?" Serena asked.  
  
"Well, your watch is over," Peregrin replied, smiling. "I was just about to wake Lydia up, then I thought I'd get some sleep."  
  
Serena looked at her watch, surprised. He was right. She watched as Peregrin shook Lydia, waking her up, then crawled into his sleeping bag.  
  
Serena greeted Lydia, then crawled into her own sleeping bag. She was asleep in seconds.  
  
*  
  
They came right during dinner, the next day.  
  
"Oh my God! They're here!" Vincent said. Everyone became deathly quiet, and all looked toward Max.  
  
Max sighed, then stood up. He picked up the pair of binoculars, and looked out in the direction that Vincent pointed in. There, in the distance he could see a throng of people, colourfully dressed, all sporting the crest that Adom's Mercenaries wore.  
  
Max put down his binoculars. "Adom's finally here." He looked at the pale paces before him. "Serena, gather your group. Everyone, make your final preparatory check. This is it. I have faith in all of you. Remember the plan. Good luck."  
  
Serena nodded to Max, then holding her head up high, gave a quick hand motion, signalling her group to follow. Together, they travelled North, where a certain cave awaited, from where they would spring their ambush. Max looked around at the remaining members of the group.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
They headed South, and entered their hiding spot. Nervous chatter began to break out from Max's group. Max shushed it down. For this plan to work, it would require complete silence. They waited.  
  
Soon enough, they heard the sound of voices approaching. Apparently, Adom's Mercenaries didn't know the value of subtlety. They were making no attempt at all to travel with any sort of stealth.  
  
"Overconfident," Max thought. Perfect.  
  
As the Mercenaries drew near, Max stepped out, alone, into the path of three dozen armed men. Their raucous laughter quickly stopped as they saw Max.  
  
Max sighed. The plan would have been much more efficient if he didn't have to do this. However, his sense of honour did not allow him to pre-emptively strike at this group of disgusting beings. He had to at least make the offer, though the chances of them accepting were slim.  
  
"Your name?" Max asked to the apparent leader of the group.  
  
"I am Adom Thracio, leader of Adom's Mercenaries," said a particularly cold-eyed man, with a sallow face, and somewhat long, greasy hair. "Who are you, and what do you want?"  
  
"I am known as Peregrin," Max replied.  
  
"So. You're the boy who slaughtered six of my men." Murmurs rose from the group behind Adom.  
  
"Yes. Why are you heading toward this village?"  
  
"To kill you." Adom grinned. "And to kill the rest of those fools in the village who kept you safe from us."  
  
Max gritted his teeth. He always hated to see bullies, and although he had seen more vile, and evil criminals, they simply weren't as petty as the man standing in front of him.  
  
Max shook his head. "I'm giving you one chance, and one chance only. Turn back now."  
  
Adom simply raised one eyebrow, as the rest of his men laughed uproariously, and hurled insults toward Max, which he ignored. "Why should we?"  
  
Max put on a determined face. "So you will live."  
  
Adom shook his head in bemusement. "I'm sorry, Peregrin, but have you noticed the situation you're in? You fool! You should be pleading for your life right now!"  
  
Max sighed. He recognized bluster and over-confidence when he saw it, and Adom was filled up to the brim with it. "Final warning. Turn back now."  
  
Adom smirked. "I don't know, let me think...no. Now you're going to die." He drew a particularly wicked looking sword. I'm going to enjoy this.  
  
Max wasn't listening. He was already concentrating. He slipped on the Evil Ring, and held up his right hand. The Ring began to glow...  
  
Adom frowned. What exactly was the boy doing? He must have something planned. He looked around, then finally looked up. His jaw dropped as he looked at the sky above. Their, a floating green ball of energy had mysteriously appeared.  
  
The green ball lazily floated towards the rear end of Adom's group. It then began lashing out with green bolts of energy. Men died in an instant, screaming in agony, as their bodies were quickly roasted inside. Since Adom's Mercenaries were so tightly packed together, they were fodder for Max's Bolt 3 spell. Several men were killed, and more were badly injured. The green ball of energy disappeared.  
  
Max quickly summoned the destructive energy of the Evil Ring again. That same green ball of energy appeared out of thin air again, and lashed out once more with its bolts. The result was pretty much the same, as men died horribly. Max noticed that the Evil Ring had began to emit smoke, and he decided to stop calling on it's energy. Adom's Mercenaries were left in confusion, as Adom began screaming calls to battle. Max drew his sword, and shouted.  
  
"Charge!"  
  
Serena heard Max's shout, and signalling the rest of her group, took off at a run, and charged toward the rear of the enemy's formation. They were on the Mercenaries before they were even aware of their presence. Swords flashed, and the sounds of steel meeting flesh, and the cries of the wounded rang out. Serena and her group cut through her disorganized enemies with ease. Max had trained them well. Serena was doing a particularly gruesome job of slaying mercenaries.  
  
On Max's side of the battle, the rest of Max's group charged out from their hiding spot, and engaged Adom's Mercenaries. Lydia and Vincent worked together as a team, covering each other, and cut through the enemies like butter. Max personally engaged Adom in a duel. Adom was a ruthless criminal, hardened, and tough. However, Max was possibly the greatest swordsman in the world. He had faced off against great enemies like Kain, and Darksol. He had defeated Dark Dragon. His edge hadn't been dulled at all by his time away from the Shining Force. In short, Adom didn't have a chance.  
  
Adom lunged, trying to stab Max. It would have killed him cleanly, except for the fact that Max was no longer there. He had read Adom like a book, and as soon as he saw the tell-tale motions of Adom committing himself to a forward motion, he twisted aside, letting Adom go flying behind, and stabbed him through the stomach. Adom fell to his knees, as Max viciously twisted his sword. Adom's eyes rolled back, and he fell to the ground, dead. Max withdrew his sword, and rushed in to help out his soldiers.  
  
Adom's Mercenaries had the numerical advantage, but that was all. Max's group had the element of surprise, were better trained, and were fighting for their lives, which made them fight with a desperate energy.. Adom's Mercenaries were fighting for their pay, which made all the difference.  
  
The battle was over shortly.  
  
Max surveyed the battleground with amazement. It had taken roughly 10 minutes. Every last one of his soldiers was still alive, and besides slight cuts and bruises, everyone was fine. They had just taken three to one odds, without any casualties.  
  
His group was busy celebrating their victory, hugging each other, and crying. Max whistled, to get their attention. Everyone fell silent.  
  
"What should we do about these bodies?" Max asked.  
  
"What about them, Serena replied, defiantly. "If it was us, they'd leave us here to rot."  
  
"Agreed," said Lydia.  
  
"If we just leave them here, then we're sinking to their level," said Max. Serena and Lydia looked abashed. "Vincent, take Katwa and Trowe, and start gathering some firewood. The rest of you, please put on those sanitary gloves, and start collecting the bodies into one place. I'm afraid the best we can do is to cremate these bodies. Wrap something around your mouth and nose to block out the odour."  
  
Everyone did as they were told. Soon enough, they had an blazing bonfire on their hands, and they watched in silence as the bodies slowly roasted.  
  
They set off for home.  
  



	9. Anri's little idea!

And now, a word from your author:  
  
Don't kill me. Really, I was busy! I apologize to all my readers for this long lack of an update. As a reader, I know how crappy it is to see how no one's updated for months. However, I hope to pick up the pace, once more. Thanks to all who sent e-mails to me, as well as everyone who's reviewed my work. It was the number of complaints I'd gotten in the last few days that really encouraged me to get around my writer's block, so therefore, bitching = more chapters. :D Once again, read and review, and don't hesitate to send flames to my e-mail. This series is far from dead!  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Anri looked up, startled, as the White Ring on her hand began glowing brightly.  
  
"What the..." she exclaimed, startled. The glow emanating from the White Ring continued to grow , until it was almost blinding. As suddenly as it had started, though, it stopped, leaving Anri wondering what that could be about. Perhaps it was due to the fact she hadn't called upon it's magic for a while? It had never done anything like that before. Anri sighed, and decided to let it go. She sat back in her somewhat comfy chair: being a queen had its perks.  
  
It had been a few months since she had arrived back home, along with her fellow Shining Force members. She had become a queen, and assumed the duties and responsibilities her father had left behind when he died all so suddenly at the hands of Kane. Her first responsibility had been to rebuild Guardiana, after hit had been left half-ruined. It had taken an surprisingly short amount of time: the people of Guardiana were a hardy bunch, and were well up to the daunting task. Guardiana had returned to the splendid glory it had possessed before the arrival of Runefaust had spoiled it.   
  
Now, Anri's attention was turned to other matters. Running a kingdom was hard work. There seemed to be endless council meetings, and many minor dignitaries who kept on running up to her with some small detail that required her judgement. Anri missed the old days: the sense of camaraderie she had shared with the rest of the Shining Force. Just them, against the forces of evil. All you had to worry about was staying alive. Anri's life now, though, was really, really, boring! Which was why she had a special idea...  
  
Anri's thoughts where interrupted by a soft knock on the door.  
  
"Come in."  
  
Mae stepped through the door, habitually checking around for threats. Old habits died hard. Mae had also been fairly busy, in her new role as the Commander of the Guardiana army. That meant not only was she responsible for Guardiana's defence, it also meant she was in charge of training new recruits, maintaining supplies, keeping equipment in tip-top shape, and making sure everything was running smoothly.  
  
"Busy?" Mae asked.  
  
"Not really. Come in! Something to drink? I can ask the cook to whip us up a late night snack." Anri gestured Mae over to a chair, which fortunately, accommodated centaurs as well as humans.  
  
"No thanks. Just tired of all this work, decided to take a break. How are things going?"  
  
"Can't complain. Running a kingdom is mind numbingly mundane. I was thinking of the good old days, just us against Runefaust. No worrying about petty squabbles...at least you knew who your enemies were. Politics are boring!"  
  
"You don't say? You don't know how many pointless and endless meetings I go to...Ok maybe you do," Mae hastily corrected as she spotted Anri about to launch into an counterattack, "but really, the pointlessness! These people can't even decide on what pencils we should use! How they got to power, I don't know. Politics." Mae snorted.  
  
"Oh, by the way..." Mae said, with a mischievous smile beginning to appear on her face.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"There's a rumour flying through the castle, about, how shall we say, a cozy get together you and Prince Gerad had." Mae winked. "Come on, share the details!"  
  
Anri snorted. "You mean, that dinner we had? Where he tried to put the moves on me, and I was obliged to put him face first into the main course? It was a grisly sight, to tell you that...and Chef had spent all night slaving over it."  
  
"Oh? I heard there was something happening between you two?" Mae looked surprised.  
  
"Bah. That snake. I wouldn't touch him with a 10-foot pole."  
  
"You know how many prospective suitors you've turned down? Whatever happened to that cute Prince Ralsed?"  
  
"Waddles like a duck, has bad breath. And drones on and on about the most mundane things! Like I really care about the state of the Elonia National Art Museum."  
  
"Well, how about that young Duke of Milead?"  
  
Anri grinned. "Apparently, he doesn't have a thing for women that are stronger than him. He was boasting to me about his oh so great combat skills. So I simply said "Oh, you mean skills like this?" and summoned some magic."  
  
Mae winced. "Oh yeah, I remember that. Don't you think you went a little overboard on the freeze spell though?"  
  
"He thawed out, once Tao applied a fire spell...about twelve hours later." Anri grinned in remembrance. The frozen expression on the Duke's face was priceless.  
  
"Well...how about that foreign prince, Diade?"  
  
"Heavy accent. He was a nice guy and all, but he had some pretty...forceful views about women, and their role in the world."  
  
"You're way too picky. Isn't there any man that matches up to your standards?"  
  
Anri's expression grew sad. "There was." She unconsciously rubbed the White Ring."  
  
"Oh no. Are you still..." Mae asked, concerned.  
  
Anri sighed, went over to her bed, and flopped down on it, and stared up at the ceiling. "Yes, I know Max is dead. I know marrying anyone of these people would benefit our kingdom tremendously...but..."  
  
"But...there'll always be a small piece of me that belongs to him. If I married someone else, they would just end up being disappointed with me."  
  
"Anri...you have to let go. Max is gone, but he didn't die in vain. He brought peace to the world, after all."  
  
"I know. Maybe someday, I'll love again. Just not right now. Besides, I don't see you with any boyfriends?"  
  
"Ha!" Mae grinned. "You think YOU'RE picky?"  
  
"Oh come on..." Anri said, grinning. "Now, let me tell you the rumour I heard from my maid-in-waiting. Apparently, you and Ken went out on a little ride together..."  
  
"Yeah, well um...the thing about that is..." Mae panicked, and began casting her eyes around the room for something she could talk about to change the topic. "Hey, what's this?" Mae pointed toward an crude, vague sketch Anri was working on before Mae had shown up. It currently showed two knights in shining armour, locked in mortal combat. "And you call this masterpiece...?"  
  
"Very funny. Magic is my specialty, not art. If you must know, this is the concept sketch for a little idea I have..."  
  
"Uh oh. A little idea?" Mae asked, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"OK, more like a big idea. My idea is simply this: a really big fair and festival!"  
  
"That's your big idea?"  
  
"Nonono!" Anri exclaimed enthusiastically. "I've got all sorts of things planned out. There's going to be jesters, I'm thinking of asking the circus to come in at that time, games, food festivals, and some other neat stuff. Like that new invention Kokichi told me about...I think it's called a 'Merry-go-circle' or something like that.  
  
"Ah, that crazy old man. Hasn't he retired yet?" Mae smiled, remembering the old man, and his wacky flying device.  
  
"Nah, still busy as ever. This is all going to be centered around one thing: a tournament!"  
  
"A tournament?" Mae's ears perked up. "What kind of tournament?"  
  
"A chess tournament, what do you think?" Anri said sarcastically. "No, I'm taking about a tournament of combat!" Each region will send their own champion in, and will face each other. Winner gets, I don't know, honour, prestige, money, maybe a chance to meet the famous Queen of Guardiana." Anri grinned.  
  
"Great way to meet cute guys huh?"  
  
"Exactly."  
  
"Bah. You'll probably end up meeting some half-witted moron, who can't manage to string together a sentence with more than two syllables per word."  
  
"You mean like Arthur?" Anri grinned.  
  
"No, I'm not going to go that far." Mae grinned as well.  
  
"Besides that, this is going to be a chance for us to all have a big reunion! Up until now, everyone's been two busy to meet up again, but with this excuse, they can go! I'm holding an archery tournament as well, to get Diane to go...maybe some tracking contests, so Zylo's in for sure..." and maybe an exhibit to show off your inventions! That way, we rope in Kokichi!"  
  
"And a magic contest, of course?" Mae said, knowingly.  
  
"Can't let you guys hog all the fun." Anri said, her eyes sparkling.  
  
"Incidentally, this brings up an interesting story. Ever hear of a group called Adom's Mercenaries?"   
  
Anri thought it over. "I believe so. Pretty nasty gang of slavers, I've gotten some complaints about them."  
  
"Very good." Mae praised. "I was just getting together a force to take care of them. We'd received a warning that they were about to pillage and burn the town of Landwoa."  
  
Anri frowned. "I don't think I've heard of that town."  
  
"You probably wouldn't have. It's a small, backwoods village. Small population. Probably couldn't defend themselves against a group of rabbits, which was why I was about to lend aid."  
  
"Then why are you still here? I thought you would be out traveling by now then?" Anri asked, confused.  
  
"Well, it appears our aid is no longer necessary."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Apparently, Adom's mercenaries have been wiped out. Completely. Some of the surrounding farmers and villagers banded together, and wiped them out in an ambush." Mae smiled. She was fond of preemptive strikes, unlike Max. Max had always been one for fair, and honourable combat.  
  
"Wow. That's great! It's about time they stood up for themselves. Too bad though...how many casualties did they suffer?" Anri wondered. A bunch of farm boys up against ruthless criminals? They must have paid a pretty heavy toll for their victory.  
  
"Here's the interesting part: None."  
  
"Huh?" Now Anri was really amazed. "How!"  
  
"Apparently, they were well trained."  
  
"How many people did it take to finish off Adom's group?"  
  
"Around 12, I think."  
  
"Huh?" This was an understatement. As Anri recalled, Adom's group was well-equipped, battle-hardened, and numbered in the range of three dozen, by last estimates. For a group of twelve villagers to actually defeat Adom, and with no casualties to boot! "What happened?"  
  
"They were well trained. Apparently, the credit for the whole victory goes to some fellow named 'Peregrin.' I've heard some strange rumours."  
  
"Like what? And who is this guy?" Anri wondered. She rolled the name, 'Peregrin' around in her mind. Didn't ring a bell.  
  
"Well, apparently he managed to defeat dozens of Adom's Mercenaries by himself...of course that tale's probably exaggerated. And he can summon magical bolts of energy to slay his enemies."  
  
"Hmm. Ariel?" Anri called out.  
  
Her lady-in-waiting opened the door, and bowed.. "Yes, your Grace?"  
  
"Please send for the court scribe."  
  
"Yes, your Grace. Right away." Ariel bowed, and disappeared.  
  
"What are you doing?" Mae asked.  
  
"Sending an invitation. This Peregrin character looks like he would be a suitable candidate for the tournament." Anri smiled.  
  
"Bah. Probably some small fry out of the provincials, who thinks he could defeat Max himself." Mae snorted.  
  
"Probably. But I'm intrigued, none the less." Anri yawned. "Blimey, I'm tired. And hungry."  
  
Mae smiled knowingly. "You're always hungry. I don't know how you can eat so much, and stay so thin."  
  
Anri grinned. "Magic users have an high metabolism rate." That's why Tao and I can stuff our faces, yet remain the young beauties we are." Anri posed like a model, for Mae's benefit. However, her pose was broken up as she was startled by the sound of stone being broken. "Huh? What's that?" Both Mae and Anri ran to the window.  
  
Lying in a pile of rubble was Arthur. He looked scorched.  
  
Anri frowned. "I didn't know Arthur was in town. How come no one tells me these things? I'm not THAT busy that I can't meet up with old friends!" Mae shrugged.  
  
A high pitched, musical laugh rang into the stillness of the night. Anri recognized this laugh to be Tao's. "Stupid Arthur. Everyone knows you can't combine those two spells together! Go back to mage school, moron!"  
  
Arthur groaned. "But it sounded like such a cool idea..."  
  
Mae and Anri both broke out into loud, uproarious laughter. Arthur looked up at the window. He waved. "Hey, you guys!"  
  
"Hey Arthur!" Anri shouted out. "You hungry?"  
  
"Yah, sure!"  
  
"You guys come up to the castle! We'll get a bite to eat!"  
  
"It's 2 in the morning!" Mae reminded her.  
  
"I'll get someone to whip us up something. Being a queen has it's perks.  
  
"OK! Just as soon as I dust myself off! Damn Tao..." Arthur muttered. He dissapared into the large, Arthur-shaped hole he had flew out of.  
  
Anri smiled. "Should we go, Mae?"  
  
"Let's."  
  
*  
  
  
Author's note: And the plot thickens! I realized I hadn't gotten back to Anri and her gang for a while...thought I would! Next, Max receives the invite! Can he bear to return to the land of Guardiana once more? All on the next chapter, of Hero's Rest!  
  
Cheers!  



	10. An invitation

And now, a message from your author, Strider Yoshi:  
  
Yo guys! I'd like to thank Aaron Halstad for giving me a summary of the ending. I've realized I've left Adam completely out of the picture, even though he's prominent in the ending. If you don't like it then, well, this fic is AU then! HAHAHA! Since I'm the author, I can do whatever I want! I could dress Max up in a ballerina dress!  
  
Max: You better not.  
  
Anyway, please review, and send all flames/comments to strider_yoshi@yahoo.com I hope to crank out the chapters faster now. Question: Who would you rather see Max hook up with: Anri, or my original creation, Serena? Send your answer to strider_yoshi@yahoo.com! Anyway, hopefully the next chapter will be out in a week or two. As well, props out to all the new authors of Shining Force fics! Check out Forman's great work on the battle with Dark Dragon, Luna Hoshino's SF3 poem and fanfic (Sorry I've never played those games, so I don't know what's going on :p), Silverknight's great story about Max and Tao, and Gechmir's hilarious story, featuring the antics of Jogurt, Max, and Zylo! They're all shaping up to be great SF fics, much better than this one! Ok, this foreword is longer than some of my paragraphs.  
  
Cheers!  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Max was really uncomfortable, though familiar, with the role he had been given: the role of Hero. Once Max, Serena, and the rest of the tired warriors had wearily trudged back to Landwoa, they had come back to jubilant, cheering crowds, and a whirlwind of celebrations. The events of those days were somewhat unclear in his mind: the massive hangover he had received from the booze had made his thinking somewhat muddled. Now here he was, racking in the benefits. Free meals wherever he went. Children looking up at him in awe as he passed by. Blushing young maidens giggling as he went by. People clambering up to him, asking him to retell the battle countless times. Before, whereas he was treated with fear, for being a cold-blooded killer of 6 men, or indifference, only being a farmer's hired help, he was now treated with respect, as a warrior who had saved them all. Max was fairly used to this, as he was already used to being treated as the hero ridding the world of evil. That didn't mean he had to be comfortable with the role; He had never liked being in the spotlight, but he was the talk of the town now. There were talks of him starting up a new police force, of even running for mayor in the next election. He declined though, preferring to keep his comfortable old role.  
  
At least he could rely on his old friends to treat him the same: Mainly his group of warriors, and Edward Serena, and June. They respected Max's wishes to be treated as just the same Max he had always been: their teacher, helper, and friend. Life still went on the same as before: Max continued on as Edward's assistant, although he had received high-paying offers, as bodyguards, or personal instructors. Edward had been dumbfounded when Max had turned them down.  
  
"But Peregrin, you'll make more money in a month than I can expect to receive for this year's whole harvest! Why would you turn down such an opportunity?"  
  
"I don't care about money. Never have, never will. If I'm happy doing what I do now, then I'll stick to it. Besides, I don't want to work for some fancy, upstuck rich snob. Why, am I going to be out of a job soon?"  
  
"Of course not, but...."  
  
"Then it's settled."  
  
Max was even continuing his exercises with Lydia, Serena, and the rest of his now hero trainees. He hadn't expected them to show up on his doorstep again, but there they were, two days after the victory celebration. They had taken the two days off in order to rest, and recuperate from the massive hangover they all had suffered. Max had swung open the door, and there they were, all warmed up and ready to go.  
  
"Uh...you guys are still here?" Max asked.  
  
"No, we're just a figment of your imagination. Of course we're here, dimwit!" Lydia said, smiling.  
  
"You know, you guys don't have to go through this anymore. Landwoa is safe, and I doubt anyone else will come through here like that again, now knowing what fate they can expect."  
  
"You haven't run out of stuff to teach us, have you?"  
  
"Well, no, but-" Max started to say.  
  
"Then we'll continue to learn from you, if you're willing to still teach us." said Vincent.  
  
"OK....I don't know if I can keep up this rate though. I mean, I really have to get back to the duties I've been neglecting."  
  
Serena spoke up. "Peregrin, if you haven't noticed, the harvest is over. We really don't have that much stuff to do anymore."  
  
Max looked at the trees. They were gold, red, yellow, and all the neat colours you could usually expect from the season of Fall. "Oh." Max said, somewhat subdued. "Hey, Serena, then your father doesn't need me anymore does he?"  
  
Serena smiled. "Yeah, you're right. We should fire you." She laughed at the stricken look that appeared on Max's face. "Ah, Peregrin, you'll always have a home here. You're like family to us...I mean Mom and Dad now. Besides, if you start feeling like a leech, you could start paying rent, or you could buy me a fancy dress or something." She grinned, and everyone laughed.  
  
"So you guys are really serious about this?" Max asked.  
  
"YES!" came the overwhelming response.  
  
"Then it's settled. First, everyone do 50 pushups. Then we're going for a little jog." Max said, grinning evilly. Everyone groaned. "Hey, you asked for it. Hop to it! Now!"  
  
A week later, Max and his group were going for a pleasant jog. Max was pleased to notice the excellent physical condition that everyone was in. Even with the lack of danger, everyone was in tip-top shape. Everything was peaceful, there were no worries about a certain slaver coming through and burning everything, and to top it all off, they were all looking forward to the cold beer that they were going to have once they got back to Landwoa. Unfortunately, this peace was about to be disturbed...  
  
Artonis, a young elf, was the first to spot him, with his keen eyes. "Beware, up ahead. Something approaches."  
  
Max held his hand, signaling for a stop. They watched with curiosity as the fast-travelling object drew closer. As it drew closer, the vague blur transformed into a horse, with a rider. The distinctive crest was very familiar to Max....  
  
"Never mind. It's a messenger of Guardiana," Max said, only partly relieved. What would someone from Guardiana be doing out here?  
  
The rider slowed down to a trot as he came near Max and his group. Finally, he drew to an halt in front of Max.  
  
"Excuse me, but would you happen to know the whereabouts of one Peregrin?" asked the rider.  
  
Max lifted his head. At least they were after Peregrin, and not Max. But still, what would they want with him? "I am Peregrin. Can I help you?"  
  
"I bring a message from the Kingdom of Guardiana, from Queen Anri." said the messenger.  
  
Max stiffened. So Anri was now Queen? It had been a while since they had parted last. Max heard gasps behind him at the sound of the famous Anri, Queen of Guardiana, and one of the Shining Force members. "What is it?"  
  
"I do not know." He passed Max an letter, which Max recognized as bearing the royal seal. "I will await your response in Landwoa. Please ask the innkeeper for Terrence. Take as long as you wish. Max took the letter, and Terrence rode off past Max, heading toward Landwoa.  
  
Max stared at the letter in his hand. It had been months since had come into contact with anyone from his past life. That was about to change. Max suddenly felt very tired. "Guys, we're heading back ok?"  
  
"Fine with us," said Vincent. "Aren't you going to open that letter?"  
  
"Away from prying eyes." said Max, smiling. "I'll tell you guys about it later. Meet me in front again, tomorrow. Same time." Max waved his hand in dismissal. "You guys head back first, OK? I'm just going to take it easy going back."  
  
"Fine with us," said Lydia. She turned to the rest of the group. "Guys still up for a beer?"  
  
"Are we ever!" Vincent said enthusiastically. "Last one back buys the beers!" He ran off, laughing, as everyone followed, shouting at him for getting a head start.  
  
Max slowly walked off to the side of the road, and sat down, under a large oak tree that provided the welcoming shade that shielded him from the burning sun. With shaking hands, he slowly opened the message with shaking hands, and read it.  
  
"Dear Peregrin," it started off, in fancy, looping letters. Obviously, Anri had gotten an scribe to do this for her. She never wrote in this style, preferring to get directly to the point.  
  
"You are invited to participate In Guardiana's first Champion of Arms tournament. The tournament will be a battle of arms, your choice of any melee weapon, and will take place in a month. A prize of 50 000 gold pieces will be awarded to the victor, as well as the right to return to defend his/her title. All expenses will be taken care of by the kingdom of Guardiana. Additionally, you may bring one other person with you. More details will become available at the tournament. Please send your response through the messenger.  
  
Sincerely,  
  
Queen Anri  
  
Max reread the letter twice, and sat back, and thought about it. First things first. Did he want to go? He realized, yes he did want to go. It wasn't about the money, he didn't give a damn about that. However, though it worried him that he was this eager about it, the call of battle beckoned him. The idea of facing off against fellow warriors, and proving his worth, was very exciting to Max. He might even be able to see his old friends again. He might even be able to see Anri once more. (Max shied away from that line of thought almost immediately.) Then why was he hesitating?  
  
Max scowled as he realized the truth. He could never go back to Guardiana. He was presumed dead. And he preferred to keep it that way. He was still a tired young man. If Max, the greatest Hero the world had seen, was discovered to still be among the ranks of the living, well, there would go his peaceful retirement. Here, where no one had any idea what Max looked like, Peregrin could enjoy his life. But Max had been raised in Guardiana. There was no chance that he wouldn't be spotted at first sight, especially with the chances of him running into an old friend. Max just wasn't ready to return to the pressures of being a Hero. Maybe someday, he would return, but not now.  
  
So there was nothing he could do, Max reasoned. No matter how much this tournament tempted him, he would have to turn down the chance. He nodded to himself.  
  
"How long are you going to keep sitting there?" said a voice directly behind him.  
  
Max jumped about a foot in the air. He carefully peered around the trunk. There, sitting directly behind him against the same tree, was Serena.  
  
"How long have you been there?" Max asked, dumbfounded.  
  
  
"I went home, ate dinner, took a nap, and got back here within a space of two hours." Serena said sarcastically. "I've been hear the entire time, dimwit!"  
  
"It's been 2 hours already?" Max said, incredulously. He glanced at the shadows. Indeed, they seemed to have grown longer since he had first sat down.  
  
"So, Peregrin, are you going to let me know what's going on?" Serena said, smiling, but with her eyes burning with curiosity. "Are am I going to have to 'persuade' you?"  
  
Max smiled. "No need." He handed the letter to Serena, who read it silently, her eyes growing wider, and wider.   
  
"Wow," Serena said. "Are you going through with this?"  
  
Max sighed. "I don't think so."  
  
"But why? This is a once in a lifetime opportunity! To get the chance to go up against the best fighters in the land! And the money!"  
  
"It's hard to explain. The situation is somewhat complicated." Max struggled to put his feelings into words.  
  
"Tell me." Serena looked into his eyes, pleadingly. Max was surprised by the amount of feeling he read in her dark blue eyes.  
  
Max wondered how much he could tell her. Not very much, he decided. He'd try to go as close to the truth as possible.  
  
"Well, in my past...I've had some problems with Guardiana...and well, I'm sort of banished from there." Max mentally slapped himself. THAT was the best story he could come up with? He was really not skilled at lying, unlike some people he knew. Arthur readily came to mind.  
  
Serena was skeptical. It was obviously a lie. THAT was the best story Peregrin could come up with? She could see he was obviously uncomfortable, and decided to play along. "All right then." She watched, bemused, as Peregrin obviously looked relieved.  
  
"Do you want to go?" Serena asked.  
  
Max sighed. "Yes, I do."  
  
"Ok. Well, I think I have a very clever plan then." Serena smiled mischeviously.  
  
Max sighed again. He didn't like the way this was going.  
  
*  
  
"What the hell is this!" Max shouted.  
  
"Don't worry about it. You look, well, flamboyant," said Serena. Ginny giggled. They were at Ginny's house, and she had just managed to throw together a little something for Max.  
  
Max fumed. They had dressed him up in the most ridiculous costume. An extremely bright, red coloured shirt, followed by bright green pants, and a shiny black vest. To top it all off, they gave him a shiny, black mask. (like the one Zorro uses.) "I look silly," Max complained.  
  
"I think you look cute!" Ginny said. Max blushed.  
  
Serena grinned. "Well, no one will know who you are in that getup. See the point of this outfit is to draw attention away from you. With you dressed in that ridiculous, I mean splendid costume, everyone will be wondering who would make a fool of themselves dressing up like that, instead of wondering who the man behind the mask is."  
  
"You mean I have to wear this all the time? Even the mask?" Max asked, groaning.  
  
"Yes, even the mask." Serena said. "Besides, it makes you look mysterious...and dashing." Max blushed even harder, which made Serena grin's turn even larger, which in turn made Max blush harder, and so on.  
  
"OK, I guess I'll go then," Max said resigned.  
  
"Yay!" Serena said. "You do realize you're taking me with you, right?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Well, those are my friends clothes...if you don't let me go, the deal's off!"  
  
Max gritted his teeth. "That was your plan right from the start, wasn't it?"  
  
Serena smiled proudly. "Yes."  
  
"Could you at least show some kind of regret?"  
  
"What, and lie about my true feelings?"  
  
"You drive me insane, you know."  
  
"Yes, I know."  
  
"I don't know how you talked me into this."  
  
"Me neither."  
  
"I can't believe I'm bringing you along."  
  
"I can't believe you got suckered like that."  
  
"Maybe we're both insane."  
  
"I guess so. Want to grab a beer? We can meet up with the rest of the gang, and you can deliver the good news to that messenger."  
  
"Sure. Ginny, coming?"  
  
"Yup!"  
  
"One day, I'll get you back for this, Serena."  
  
"No you won't. You're not devious enough."  
  
"ARGH!"  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	11. Return to Guardiana

Chapter 11  
  
The kingdom of Guardiana was at the busiest it had ever been since it had been rebuilt. The festival was in full swing, and townspeople were cheerful, happy. Merchants toyed with prospective buyers, offering goods that were either exotic, or cheaper than the merchant down the road. Street performers were in full swing, delighting people with daring acts that ranged from exciting to downright bizarre. Everyone was excited, over the anticipation of the upcoming Champion of Arms tournament, which would begin in a few days. People from all over the world were here. You could see people whose birthplace was from a continent away. In fact, because of the whirlwind event that was the festival, and the fact that outrageous garb could be seen wherever you happened to look, the arrival of two strangers went entirely unnoticed.  
  
"This mask makes me feel goofy," Max complained. He was in that stupid costume. How had he let Serena talk him into wearing that anyway?  
  
"Quiet down, you," Serena chided. "You were the one who wanted to remain unrecognized."  
  
"I know, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."  
  
Their journey had been uneventful. Edward had allowed Serena to go with Max to see, as he put it, "the big city." Everyone had wished Max well, and as going-away present, they had presented him with an custom-made sword, that the blacksmith had lovingly crafted. Max felt it's comforting weight at his hip, as he and Serena stood directly inside the entrance to Guardiana. The streets were entirely stuffed with bodies. Groups of people walked back and forth, shopping, chatting, and generally having a good time. Serena was overwhelmed by this experience. Coming from the provinces, she had never been exposed to such an huge kingdom, or such a large concentration of people before. In order to comfort herself, she was clutching Max's hand desperately, as if it were a lifeline she couldn't let go of. At least, that's what Max told himself, as he tried to ignore how Serena's hand clutched his own.  
  
Serena read the follow-up letter they had received, with detailed instructions on what to do once they arrived in the city. "According to this, we're supposed to head to the castle, and register there."  
  
Max shook his head. "Later. You hungry?"  
  
Serena smiled. "No, of course not. I've only had to walk the whole day, with a pitiful, little snack that you called breakfast to sustain me. I'm just fine and dandy, thanks," she said sarcastically.  
  
"That's what I thought," Max said, smiling. "Come on, I know a place." He led the way, as they weaved in and out of the crowd.  
  
"You're familiar with this place?" Serena asked.  
  
"Fairly," Max said. He failed to elaborate afterwards, and the two walked in silence until they reached a pub that was simply named "Heaven."  
  
"How appropriate," Serena smirked. "Shall we?" She pulled Max inside, where they were greeted with the sounds of loud chatter, and the delicious smell of hot meals, and cold beer.  
  
Max and Serena walked through the crowded pub until they reached an empty table. They sat down at once, eager to be off their sore feet. A young woman with red, curly hair, and a friendly smile passed them two menus. Max gulped. He actually knew this woman, Dalia, from the old days. It seemed that she still worked here. She didn't seem to recognize him at all, though, which was a relief. It seemed that no matter how ridiculous the clothes and the mask he wore were, they actually seemed to be working.  
  
"Anything to drink first?" Dalia asked.  
  
"Two beers," Max replied. Dalia nodded, then left to serve another table.   
  
Serena glanced around. "Nice place," she said. "You've been here a lot?"  
  
"A bit," Max replied. He looked around. This place brought a lot of old memories back. He remembered that Lord Varios had brought him here a few times after a particularly hard day of training. And those drinking contests he had cheerfully had with Lowe...Max realized that those particular memories were somewhat fuzzy.  
  
Dalia returned to take their orders. "So, what will you folks be having?"  
  
Serena looked down at her menu. "I think I'll have...the Max special."  
  
Dalia marked it down. "Ah. Excellent choice."  
  
Max couldn't believe his ears. "Excuse me, what was that? The what special?"  
  
"The Max special. It comes with a steak, side of vegetables, grilled potatoes, and a cold beer. It was named after the famous hero of Guardiana, Max, you know, the one who saved the world?"  
  
Serena nodded. She was particularly eager to hear some tales about Max. "Why'd you name that dish after him?"  
  
Dalia sighed. "He used to come in here all the time. He and Lowe would sit down, and order that same thing every single time. Boy, those two made me laugh. What a pair, Max and Lowe."  
  
Max smiled. They had been best of friends. Still, having a dish named after him made Max feel somewhat embarrassed. "Um, I'll have a...Max...special as well." Man, it felt really weird saying that out loud. Dalia departed.  
  
"Well, at least they're honouring Max in their own way," Serena said.  
  
"I don't know," Max said. "Do you think that Max would be...comfortable...with such a privilege?  
  
"Why not?" Serena asked.  
  
"Well to me, um, I just don't think that Max would be the kind of person to accept such accolades," Max replied, haltingly. He had to be careful. One slip of the tongue....  
  
"You think so?" Serena asked.  
  
"Yes. From what I know of Max, he would just say he was doing his duties."  
  
"Have you ever met Max?" Serena asked suddenly.  
  
"No, no, not even in passing." Max replied hastily. Serena looked like she was about to ask more questions, but like divine intervention to Max, the food arrived just at the moment.  
  
Serena grinned. "Dig in!" She said enthusiastically, and proceeded to do just that. Max smiled, and decided to take her advice.  
  
The meal was finished surprisingly quickly. Evidently, the hard day's travel had left their toll on the two travelers. They were sitting there, quietly nursing their beers, when a young woman, with long brown hair, approached Max.  
  
"Hey there, mysterious stranger." she said seductively. She put a hand on Max's shoulder, and left it there. "You new in town?"  
  
"Well, I just got in," Max replied cautiously.  
  
"Really? How would you like for me to show you around then?" the woman asked, smiling.  
  
"No, it's ok," Max replied hastily. He glanced at Serena. She had an particularly tense expression on her face at the moment.  
  
"No, I wouldn't mind at all," the woman said, drawing closer. "I could show you all sorts of sights...the markets...the bars...my place," she whispered into his ear. Max blushed, staring down at his beer mug. The woman laughed."  
  
"Aww, you look so cute when you do that!" she said, smiling. "So what do you say?"  
  
Serena scowled. "Let's go," she said to Max.  
  
"Oh? Want your man to yourself?" the woman said, her eyes glinting with malice.  
  
Serena blushed furiously. "You wouldn't know the half of it, you tramp."  
  
The woman's face darkened. "What did you just call me?"  
  
"You heard me."  
  
The woman was shaking with rage. Max glanced uneasily from her to Serena, who was equally angered. "I'll give you one chance to apologize," the woman said, her words laced with poison.  
  
"Save it, you skank." Serena smirked.  
  
The woman leapt at Serena, her hands outstretched toward her throat. This might have worked against the Serena of old. However, in place that Serena was an combat-hardened warrior. She easily batted the woman aside as if she were nothing, sending her crashing down to the floor.  
  
The woman gingerly picked herself up. "You bitch!"  
  
Serena just laughed. The woman gave her one final glare, then departed. Serena slowly sat back down, and conversation began to pick up again around Heaven.  
  
"You shouldn't have done that," Max said, coldly.  
  
Serena glanced at him. She was startled as she saw that his eyes were burning with anger. "Huh?"  
  
"First, I can handle myself just fine. I don't need you to baby-sit for me." Serena tried to protest, but Max continued to speak. "Second, you gave into provocation. You let your emotions take control of you. A warrior needs to stay cool, calm. She can't let her anger cloud her judgment. Do that in battle, and you're dead, and not just you, but everyone under your command."  
  
Serena looked down in shame. He was right, of course. "I'm sorry."  
  
Max slowly nodded. "We better get moving." Max tossed a gold piece to Dalia. "For your troubles." They left.  
  
Once outside, Max and Serena glanced around. The streets weren't as busy as before, as stores closed down, and the sun began to set. With Max leading the way, they set off for the castle.  
  
Max let his thoughts wander. It was nice to be back home. He hadn't realized how much he had missed Guardiana. The smells, the sights, the sounds, they all brought back a sense of nostalgia, a yearning for the simpler life he had once lived, when there was no Darksol, no Runefaust. When he and Lowe had just been kids, struggling with their training. Max smiled inwardly. Even then, his life couldn't be considered normal, could it? Trained at a young age to unknowingly become the Hero. Did Varios foresee this happening? He had somehow recognized the potential Max had, when no one else gave him a second glance. Max made a mental note to visit his old Master's tomb, before he left.  
  
Serena let her thoughts wander. She was now walking in the streets where Max was raised. From this Kingdom, a Hero had sprung forth, bringing forth the greatest fighting force know to the world. And it had all started right here. Peace had been brought to the world, but with a cost. Countless people had died in the war with Runefaust, including that young Hero. Serena scowled. Someone like that couldn't die that easily. He had to be alive, and one day, Serena would meet him.  
  
Max held out an arm, blocking Serena's progress. "Hold."   
  
"What is it?" Serena whispered.  
  
"Behind us." They slowly turned around. They watched as a group of people came into view.   
Max stepped forward. "Why do you follow us?"  
  
The biggest one of the group smiled. "We heard that 'lady' beside you happened to start a little trouble with a friend of ours."  
  
Max silently counted. Twelve of them, in total. They were all big, strong, and armed, and had an cocky look about them. Probably some sort of gang. The leader was at least 40 pounds heavier than Max, and a foot taller. "What do you want with Serena?"  
  
"Oh, so this whore's name is Serena?" Serena growled, and reached for her sword hilt. Max caught her hand before she could withdraw her sword from it's sheath. The gang laughed. "Ah, so she wants to start something, does she?" said the leader. "Anyway, we just want to have a nice little fun together with Serena."  
  
Max snarled. "I can guess what your idea of 'fun' is."  
  
The leader laughed. "Well, fun for some of us, anyway."  
  
Max was about to reply, when Serena stopped him. "Peregrin, stop. If they want me, they can come and get me."  
  
"Serena, no!"  
  
The leader laughed uproariously. "Don't worry. Maybe she'll enjoy it. You two." The leader motioned at two people, and grinning, they walked toward Serena.  
  
Max shook his head. It looked like there was no way of avoiding trouble now. "No bloodshed!"  
  
Serena smiled. "You're no fun. Understood."  
  
The two men, leering, came closer. Serena waited until they were within grappling range, then quickly ducked down under one's reaching grasp, and firmly punched him in the solar plexus. He went down, his hands wrapped around his midsection. Serena quickly turned around in a spin kick, kicking the other gang member directly in the chest. He fell, clutching his broken ribs.  
  
The leader's face darkened. This wasn't going the way he planned. "Get them!" he roared. His gang charged.  
  
Max neatly caught a giant fist that would have knocked him flat on the ground. He used the ruffian's momentum to swing him into another gang member. He grasped their two heads, and knocked them together, sending both into the realm of unconsciousness.1 Two more came at him, screaming at the top of their lungs. Max lashed out at one with a foot, kicking at a kneecap, until it broke. The man went down screaming. The other charged, attempting to tackle Max to the ground. Max waited until he was almost within range, then ducked under his grasp. Grabbing a firm hold of the man's tunic, he rolled back, and firmly pushed off with his foot, sending the man flying into a wall. He fell down, clutching his arm that was now broken in two places.  
  
Max looked over to see how Serena was doing. She had neatly taken care of her opponents, as they lay down in a pile clutching dislocated shoulders, or broken limbs. Serena saw Max watching, and smiled. "No bloodshed, see?"  
  
Max shook his head. "That fellow at your feet seems to be gushing from the nose."  
  
Serena smirked. "He didn't fall properly. His fault." Her eyes widened. "Peregrin, look out!"  
  
Max heard the sound of metal cutting through air, and quickly dived forward in a blind roll. He heard the sounds of metal striking the stone floor where he had just stood. Max quickly drew his sword, preparing for a followup strike, but none came. He turned around to see what happened, and his eyes widened.  
  
Earnest had appeared out of nowhere, and was currently holding aloft the leader of the gang, and shaking him madly. "YOU COWARD!!!"  
  
The leader whimpered. "Please, stop."   
  
Earnest continued to shake him violently. "YOU STRIKE AT AN UNARMED MAN'S BACK! You SLIME! Never, NEVER, DO THAT AGAIN!" The enraged warrior made each point by giving the man a shake each time.   
  
Max rushed up to Earnest. "Earnest, stop!"  
  
Earnest's look of rage vanished, to be replaced by confusion. "How do you know my name?"  
  
"Uh..." Max thought quickly. "Who doesn't?"  
  
Earnest grimaced. "Ah yes, the fame that comes with being a war hero." He glanced at the leader who now looked like a nervous wreck. "But...this man struck dishonorably."  
  
Max sighed. "I know. But I think he's been punished enough already."  
  
Earnest snorted. "I guess the humiliation of having his gang beaten down by two people is enough punishment." The centaur glanced at the wounded. "I don't know how many more injuries I could inflict anyway." He tossed the leader aside. "Get your sorry gang out of here. One more incident like this, and I'll personally make sure you pay."  
  
Earnest turned his back on them, not even bothering to watch the gang slowly limp off. "Are you two alright?"  
  
Max glanced at Serena. Serena nodded. "We're fine."  
  
Earnest nodded. "Good. I don't think we've been properly introduced? My name is Earnest, and I come from the town... "   
  
Serena cut him off. "THE Earnest?"  
  
Earnest smiled. "No, A Earnest. Didn't you hear I come in six packs?" Earnest made a gracious bow. "Earnest, member of the Shining Force, at your service."  
  
Serena shook his hand madly. "Wow, an actual Shining Force member...this is such an honour."  
  
Earnest smiled. "It's no big deal. Nothing really."  
  
Serena smirked. "Yeah right. Hey, you're a pretty nice guy when you're not all pissed off and all. Oh, I'm Serena."  
  
Earnest frowned. "Um...thanks I guess." He turned to Max. "May I have your name, sir?"  
  
Max nodded. "I am known as Peregrin." He bowed.  
  
Earnest's eyes widened. "Now it's my turn to be impressed," he said. "The Peregrin who lead twelve soldiers to victory against a ruthless slaver gang?"  
  
Max frowned. "You heard about that?"  
  
Earnest nodded. "Stuff of legend. And you are participating in the tournament, correct? I hope to see you there, then."  
  
Max nodded. "Yes, I will be participating." He frowned. "Wait, you're entering as well?"  
  
Earnest smiled. "Myself, and a few other Shining Force members."  
  
Max was worried. His fighting style was somewhat unique. Other members of the Shining Force might be able to recognize him from the way he fought. "I see. Good luck to you then. Incidentally, what brings you out here?"  
  
Earnest smiled. "I'd stopped by Heaven for a quick bite to eat, when Dalia told me about the trouble you guys had. I figured something would be up, so I rushed here as soon as possible."   
  
Max nodded. "Thank you for your assistance. It came at a most welcome time."  
  
Earnest waved the thanks away. "No problem. All in the line of duty." Earnest waved in the direction of the castle. "Anyway, we should get you guys checked in. If you'll follow me..."  
  
They set off for the castle."  
  
And now, a word from your author:  
  
Well, this took a bit of time to do...apologies to everyone out there for the time needed to crank out this chapter. I have final exams coming up, and schoolwork was a real drag. Summer's coming up though, yay! Although, I do have summer school...  
  
One of my longer chapters...I hope to be starting on a Seiken Densetsu 3 fic soon, or a Chrono Trigger fic as well. As soon as this nears completion, because it's about a little less than half done from what I see. Anyway, all flames and stuff can be sent to strider_yoshi@yahoo.com, and remember to read and review, because if I don't get at least 5 reviews, I'm not writing another chapter. Just kidding, but I always hate when I see writers try to blackmail people into reviewing, "I'll only continue this if people are interested", just write for the sake of writing, not to get hits or reviews.  
  
Cheers!  
  
Next chapter: Max enters the Champion of Arms tournament. Who will be his first opponent? Can Max keep his identity secret? Same fanfic time, sane fanfic channel!  
  



	12. Some old friends

Chapter 12  
  
"I'm bored," Lowe complained. He was currently sitting at the castle's front desk, waiting to register the tournament's participants. Tine went by slowly, and there was really nothing to do but just sit and wait. Along with that, now Hans had dropped in, and Lowe had to deal with Hans's chatter, which was starting to get on his nerves.  
  
Hans glanced at him. "You should have thought before your little 'incident' a week ago. Damn, how many beers did you have again?"  
  
"Don't remind me. I still have the hangover I got from that little drinking binge. "  
  
Hans grinned. "Thus, you're parked here, while the rest of us are out enjoying a great time."  
  
Lowe resisted the urge to bash Hans over the head. "Why are you here, anyway?"  
  
Hans shrugged. "I told Luke and Tao to meet me down here, before we go bar hopping. And hopefully, meet some cute girls." Hans grinned.  
  
Lowe couldn't help it. He broke out laughing. "You, the spindly wimp?"  
  
Hans put on a hurt look. "Hey, I can't help it if I'm so much more appealing to the ladies then you are." He smiled. "Plus, you know this 'war hero' thingy makes for a great introduction. In fact, just last week, there was this brunette, and..."  
  
Lowe rolled his eyes. "No details please. I'd like to keep the contents of my stomach, thank you. Bah, you the war hero."  
  
"Max, don't put me in the front! I don't like getting hurt. Oh, I think I broke a nail, let's retreat." Lowe mimicked Hans voice.  
  
Hans snorted. "You're just jealous. Just because you lack my style, my looks..."  
  
"Your self-absorption, your ego..."  
  
Hans narrowed his eyes. "Shut up."  
  
At that moment, Luke and Tao came down from their guest quarters upstairs. "Who's self absorbed?" Tao asked.  
  
"Hans." Lowe said, straight-faced.  
  
Tao thought that over. "Fair enough."  
  
Hans looked hurt. "Hey, I am not."  
  
Luke laughed. "Well, you're not as vain as Arthur, if that's any consolation."  
  
"That's because it isn't possible," Tao said wryly.  
  
"True," Luke said. "So anyway, where are we headed?"  
  
Hans shrugged. "I don't know. Let's just go out, and pick somewhere at random. Lowe, sure you can't just play hooky and come along?"  
  
Lowe shook his head. "This is Anri we're talking about. If she finds out, my head in a jar for sure."  
  
Tao tilted her head to the side, and listened carefully. "Speaking of people who'll take your head off, here comes Earnest."  
  
Luke blinked. "Huh? How do you know that?"  
  
Tao grinned. "Elvish heritage. Hans?"  
  
Hans nodded in agreement. "She's right. And...accompanied by two people, I should say. Both are weighed down by swords, and armor."  
  
Lowe whistled in amazement. "That's amazing."  
  
Hans had a smug expression on. "Just one of my many talents."  
  
Lowe was about to retort, but decided not to waste his time, and decided to check out the newcomers instead. One man, in some bizarre dress. Crazy multi coloured clothing, and some mask that covered up his features. Yet there was something about him...Lowe turned his attention to the person beside him, and his jaw dropped.   
  
Coming toward him was one of the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Hair shaded a honey blond, delicate, classical features, with the centerpiece of being a pair of sparkling green eyes.  
  
Hans whistled lowly. "Looks like I won't have to look any farther tonight to meet someone."  
  
Tao snorted. "Assuming she would put up with the likes of you." The mage glanced at Lowe, who was gaping like a fish out of water. "Lowe, pick your jaw up off the floor."  
  
Lowe blinked. "Wha...huh?"  
  
Earnest waved. "Guys, I'd like to introduce you to some people I just met. This is Peregrin," Earnest indicated the man beside him, "and this is Serena Draco."  
  
  
Earnest nodded. "Anyway, Serena, Peregrin, these are some of my friends. Let me introduce them to you."   
  
"The girl with the radical hair is Tao."  
  
Tao rolled her eyes. "Hi," she said, extending her hand to Serena.   
  
Serena took it, and shook firmly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."  
  
Tao looked over in Peregrin's direction, and shook hands with him as well. "Hi," she said. "Are you a mage?"  
  
Peregrin blinked. "No, why?"  
  
"Well...you seem to have a small residue of magical talent within you. However, it doesn't seem to have an affinity for an particular element, and it's fairly small."   
  
Peregrin shuffled his feet uncomfortably. "Well, I don't know anything about that."  
  
Tao shrugged. "Well, it doesn't matter, really. It's just interesting, that's all."  
  
"Anyway, the squinty eyed guy with the axe is Luke."  
  
"Hi!" Luke said cheerfully. He shook hands with Serena, and Peregrin.  
  
Earnest continued the introductions. "Anyway, that guy over there is Hans. He's just a miserable old drunk whose only pleasure is to hop from bar to bar, so he can forget the troubles of his meaningless life."  
  
Hans smirked. "Hey, I resent the use of the word 'old.' He shook hands with Peregrin, and instead of shaking hands with Serena, he grasped her hand, and brought his lips to her knuckles. "Enchante, mademoiselle. If you have any needs, remember, I am fully in your service."  
  
Serena looked confused. "Huh? What's with you?"  
  
Hans turned away downcast. "Must be losing my touch..."  
  
Earnest resisted the urge to laugh. "Right. Anyway, the final member of this crazy bunch is Lowe over there."  
  
Lowe extended a shaking hand to Serena. "H...H..." Lowe couldn't get one simple word out. Why did this have to happen now, dammit! Come on, say something, they're all looking at you, Lowe. "Hi," he finally said.  
  
Serena smiled back at him. "Hello yourself." Lowe pulled at his collar. Was it suddenly getting hot in here?  
  
He extended a hand toward the stranger in the even stranger getup. "Hello."  
  
Peregrin shook his hand. His hand seemed to be trembling strangely, Lowe noticed. He looked distinctly uncomfortable to Lowe, and seemed to be sweating slightly.  
  
Earnest smiled. It seemed like an expression he was just getting used to. "Anyway, Peregrin is here to register for the tournament."  
  
Tao blinked in surprise. "Ah, so you're that Peregrin? The one who took out a vicious bunch of slavers?"  
  
"It was nothing," Peregrin muttered. Lowe noticed that he seemed to have a raspy quality to his voice, as if he was choked up.  
  
Tao smiled. "Don't be so modest. When we heard about your exploits, we were all very impressed. Max couldn't have done better himself."   
  
Peregrin seemed uncomfortable with this remark. "Really, it was mostly Serena and her friends that did most of the work. She led the other side of the pincer movement, which was the key to our success."  
  
Hans blinked. "So you were involved too Serena?"  
  
Serena nodded. "Peregrin trained me, and a few others from the village into a team that could function together, and support each other. With his training, they never had a chance."  
  
Luke nodded. "That's just what Max did with us. He molded us all into a force that could work together, and cover each other's backs."  
  
Serena looked down. "Have you guys ever found any signs of Max?" she asked. She looked at each of them in turn, and they glanced away.  
  
"Nothing," Tao said softly. "We haven't found a trace of him."  
  
"We will never lose hope though," a new voice said.   
  
Tao looked up and smiled. "You're right, Nova."  
  
Nova nodded gravely. He turned to Peregrin and Serena. "My name is Nova, servant and advisor to the Kingdom of Guardiana."  
  
"I'm Serena, it's a pleasure." Serena said, smiling.  
  
"Peregrin, it's an honour." Peregrin said.  
  
Nova inclined his head gracefully. "Sir Peregrin, could you spare a moment of your time so we could have a word in private?"  
  
Peregrin looked startled. "Of course. Lead the way." They both ducked into a side room down the hall.  
  
"Wonder what they're up to," Tao said curiously.  
  
*  
  
Max's mind reeled. He hadn't expected to see his old friends too soon. Max was overcome with conflicting emotions. Happiness, anxiety, and nervousness all played a tug of war with his heart.  
  
Nova gestured to a comfortable chair. "Please, sit down."  
  
Max sat down, and waited as Nova sat down across from him. He knew what this was about.  
  
"Max, I'm glad to see that you survived," Nova said, quietly.  
  
"Thank you, Nova." said Max.  
  
"You knew, of course, with my ability to sense and identify auras, that you could not hide your identity from me." Nova stated.  
  
Max nodded. "Yes," he said simply.  
  
Nova gathered his thoughts. "Obviously, you want to remain unknown, and not reveal your true identity to your friends. Though I do not know why, you can rest assured that I will keep your secret safe."  
  
Max smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Nova. I was counting on that when I decided to come back here."  
  
"Max, why have you decided to keep your identity a secret?"  
  
Max sighed. "It's hard to explain. You see, after I escaped from Dark Dragon..."  
  
"Forgive me for interrupting, but I am curious. How exactly did you manage to escape to safety?" Nova inquired.  
  
Max shrugged. "I don't know. I had resigned myself to death, in order to make sure the seal was complete. Everything was going down, and I fell unconscious. When I woke up, I was far away from the Castle of the Ancients, somehow."  
  
"Perhaps the Goddess decided to spare your life," Nova said quietly.  
  
"Perhaps. I came to a small village, and decided to just live the rest of my life out there peacefully. I was tired of war, of fighting. Nova, I'd seen too much bloodshed, too many people get killed around me. I just decided to...retire."  
  
"Are you not the man who managed to defeat Adom's mercenaries?" Nova asked. "If you decided to forget about fighting, then why did you help out?"  
  
Max fell silent, not because he didn't know the reasons, but because he was trying the find the best way to express his thoughts. "Although I am tired of fighting, as all that leads to is death, I value life even more. if I had done nothing, the town would have been slaughtered, and their blood would have been on my hands. I could not allow that to happen."  
  
"Then why come back after all this time, Max? You had stopped Adom. You could have lived your life in obscurity, remembered as a hero by all. Why have you chosen to come back now, hidden?  
  
Max sighed. "To see how you all were doing. I had to see if what I did for Rune had made any difference. How Guardiana was coming along. If my friends were alright."  
  
"You could have done that as Max, and not as Peregrin," reminded Nova. "Why didn't you?"  
  
"I don't know. I'm just not ready yet to rise from the grave. I like my life the way it is now. I make a difference by giving back to the land I've taken from. It's satisfying." Max put on a sloppy grin. "Besides, this tournament sounds like it could be a bucketload of fun."  
  
Nova smiled. "I understand. Max, remember, that I'm here as your advisor, and your friend. Feel free to talk to me at any time."  
  
"Thank you Nova." Max said. "I have a few questions of my own, if you don't mind."  
  
"Please, ask whatever you wish," Nova said, with a wave of his hand.  
  
"I've seen that the town has been rebuilt. How is the military situation right now?"  
  
Nova thought. "The death of Darksol, and Dark Dragon has left the enemy bewildered, and scattered. Up until recently, it has been an relatively easy matter to sweep the land for pockets of resistance. However, a new leader seems to have arisen, and is organizing the remaining forces. He, she, or it lacks Darksol's tactical ability, as well as his talent to motivate his forces. As well, the resources of Runefaust are no longer available. However, many kingdoms have scaled down their military forces, believing the war to be over already."  
  
Max nodded. "So we're not out of the woods yet. Who's leading Guardiana's military forces now? Mae, I presume."  
  
"Correct. She's done a fine job taking over for Lord Varios."  
  
Max smiled. "I knew she would." Max's face took on a sober tone. "Did we lose anyone from the Dark Dragon battle? Although I did manage to cast Egress, I wasn't sure if everyone had made it out safely."  
  
Nova smiled. "Everyone made it safely, and has returned to their respective hometowns. I believe a few of the Shining Force are here, in order to participate in the festivities. Earnest, for example, is here for the tournament."  
  
Max smirked. "I didn't think he was here for the candy. Finally..." Max hesitated. "How is Anri doing?"  
  
Nova shook his head. "Anri was quite overcome by your death, Max. However, she has recovered, and is now Queen of Guardiana. I feel she is handling the pressures of running a kingdom perfectly. Her father couldn't have done better himself.  
  
"That's all I guess. Thank you, Nova." Max said gratefully. He stood.  
  
Nova rose up as well. "It's good to see you again, Max." He shook hands with Max, and when Max went to the door, about to leave, he spoke up again."  
  
"One more thing," Nova said.  
  
Max turned. "Yes?"  
  
"Good luck in the tournament."  
  
And now, a word from the perpetually lazy author:  
  
Another chapter comes to a close. You know, I was going through Moogie's awesome Shining Force series, when I came to a certain site about a certain Genesis game called Shining Force: Final Conflict, and I've realized that I've just about ignored the Shining Force timeline completely. So uh, this fic is REALLY AU now. I wanna play that game, it has Max and Oddler in it, that should be neat.  
  
Again, apologies for cranking out this chapter so late. Summer school is boring, time-consuming, and a strain. Man, I hate it, and the strain my schedule puts on me. A new chapter every month is not what I had in mind when I first started this fic.  
  
BTW, been playing through Shining Force II. I like the idea of promoting characters using items, and the Oddler thing is neat as well. I just don't think the storyline has as much depth to it as Shining Force I though. Plus all the towns look the same to me, unlike SFI. Oh, and Max could kick Bowie's ass anyday, so there!  
  
Cheers!  



	13. Just like old times

Note: Thanks to Valerian for catching that particular error. Wouldn't do to have them mysteriously realize who Max is, would it? :D  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Light broke over Guardiana as dawn broke, slowly penetrating the night mists. Only a few hardy souls were awake during this time. Mae was one of them. She had always been one to be up at the crack of dawn, preferring to get a head start on the day. Indeed, she had a special reason to be up today. The Tournament was at hand, and she wanted to get an head start in getting warmed up. Mae had always been tough, and saw no reason to rest, or relax beforehand, like some others were doing. However, when she stepped out onto the front courtyard in Guardiana castle, she realized she wasn't alone.  
  
Two figures, a young girl, small, and seemingly fragile, but who moved with a speed and quickness that belied that image. She moved through a quick, rapid sword kata. A young man, dressed in the most bizarre outfit Mae had ever seen, complete with mask, watched her, stopping her occasionally to offer advice, or to correct a stance or thrust. Mae could tell he had the expertise of a master swordsman, although he seemed fairly young. Mae wandered over to them.   
  
"Greetings," said Mae, in a friendly voice. She tried very hard to be friendly. In the past, she had always had problems when dealing with other people. During the war to eradicate Darksol, she had remained cold, and aloof, too overcome with grief and rage. Now that Varios could finally rest, she was trying to become a member of society again.  
  
The girl ignored her completely. Mae almost felt hurt, until the man offered up a conciliatory explanation. "Sorry. Serena always gets like this when she's training. She hates to be interrupted."  
  
"Ah," said Mae, in understanding. "The sign of total concentration, I suppose. I'm Mae."  
  
The man nodded. "Ah. THE Mae?"  
  
"Yeah, that's me," Mae said, embarrassed. She, along with the rest of the Shining Force, didn't enjoy the attentions lavished upon them. Except for maybe Arthur.  
  
"Indeed. Nice to meet you, I'm Peregrin, and this is Serena," the man said, gesturing to the girl who had finished, and was now quietly listening. Serena nodded her head in response.  
  
"It's a pleasure," Mae said, shaking hands with them briskly. Her brows furrowed in concentration. "I know your name from somewhere, don't I?"  
  
"Well, we've never met before, but..."  
  
Mae snapped her fingers. "Ah yes! You're the one who took care of Adom, and his nasty gang. I have to extend my thanks for that, by the way. I was just about to send aid, fearing we would be too late."   
  
Peregrin smiled, embarrassed. "Well, no big deal, really."  
  
"Too modest. Anyway, what are you two doing here? No, wait," Mae interrupted herself, "I know. You're here for the tournament right?"  
  
Peregrin nodded. "That's right. Say, are you..."  
  
Mae anticipated the question. "Yes. So are several of my friends, in fact."  
  
Peregrin coughed, once. "Which ones, if I may ask?"  
  
"No problem," Mae said. Peregrin seemed to be growing nervous, for some reason. Perhaps he was just worried about his chances? "No problem. It's all public information anyway. Let's see, there's me, of course, representing Guardiana, and the surrounding area. Earnest is here as well."  
  
"We met him last night," said Serena.  
  
"I see. Luke, also from Guardiana, is coming. Zylo has come representing Bustoke. Oh, and there's Balbaroy and Arthur.  
  
"Balbaroy and Arthur are entering?" Peregrin asked. He looked surprised.  
  
"Yes," said Mae thoughtfully. "I guess Balbaroy wants to train as an warrior. Arthur's just here because it's something to do I suppose. I don't know why Anri sent an invitation to him, that lazy oaf." Mae grinned.  
  
"Anri, I mean the Queen, picked the contestants?"   
  
"Yes. Yours was the last name added to the list I believe, since there aren't that many fighters where you hail from, in the south I believe? Certainly none of them were noteworthy. But when Anri heard your story, she decided to extend an invitation to you in order to ensure fair representation."  
  
"From this side of the world though, right?" Serena asked.   
  
Mae laughed. "We don't even know where Hanzou or Musashi are right now. Plus, it's a fairly long journey, so I doubt many people would be interested.   
  
"Is that all the participants?"  
  
"No, there's a few other warlords, and captains that we invited. Therios, that runny-nosed lordling, for example, and Ulag the Brave, or whatever. The total amount of participants amounts to 16."  
  
Peregrin bowed. "Thank you very much. Is there anything I can do for you?"  
  
Mae smiled. "Actually, there is. Can I fight you?"  
  
Peregrin blinked. "What?"  
  
"Not to the death, no, nothing like that," Mae hastily reassured. "Not only would it mean an inconvenience for one of us, it would really upset Anri's plans. No, just a friendly sparring match."  
  
Peregrin nodded slowly. "Sure, why not. But why?"  
  
Mae shrugged. "I just want to get warmed up before my matches. I figure this is the best way, both mentally, and physically. I assume you're out at this time to train as well?"  
  
"I like to get a head start on the day," Peregrin said. "I try to get my students to follow the same principles."  
  
"Trust me, he's a fanatic when it comes to these kind of things," Serena said dryly.  
  
"I can imagine. Oh, and don't worry about getting hurt, I'll go easy on you," Mae said grinning.  
  
"I'll keep that in mind," said Peregrin, smirking. "Besides, I'm sure Lowe or someone could heal us from the brink of death."  
  
"Do you know Lowe?"  
  
"Last night. Well then, shall we get on with this?" Peregrin drew his sword from it's scabbard.   
  
"Agreed." Mae pulled out her Halberd. Each took a position directly opposite each other, separated by a distance of 5 meters. Serena backed off to a safe distance. They each bowed to each other, both keeping their eyes on the other.  
  
"Ready?" asked Mae. Peregrin nodded, as he took up a one handed stance.  
  
"En Garde!" they both shouted, as one.  
  
Peregrin seemed to be hanging back. All the same for Mae, it meant now was a good time to test out his defenses! She cautiously trotted over toward him, and took a few quick jabs with her lance, which he deftly dodged, and parried.  
  
"He's pretty good," Mae thought. "Let's kick up the pace a little!" She began to attack twice as fast. Still, Peregrin managed to dodge and parry every one of her attacks. He never attempted to riposte. Starting to get frustrated, Mae went almost full out, striking hard, and fast. Peregrin started to stumble, to give ground. He looked like he was tiring. After pushing his guard back with one blow, Mae decided to end the match here with an hard overhead strike. Mae brought the lance down hard. And missed completely.  
  
Peregrin had gone into a tuck-and-roll, bringing himself under her strike. She had over-committed with that attack, using up too much strength. He didn't have the slightest sign of weakness now, Mae realized belatedly, as Peregrin held his sword at her throat.  
  
"Do you yield?" Peregrin asked, soberly.  
  
Mae sighed, accepting her defeat. "Yes." She sheathed her lance. Blinking, she noticed that the sun now hung in the sky. Their battle had lasted a good part of an hour. "A good fight."   
  
"Same to you," Peregrin said, smiling. "You don't know how close you came with some of those blows. I haven't exerted myself like that in a while."  
  
"You got me in the end though." Mae said. "By the way, your style..."  
  
"What about it?" Peregrin asked.  
  
"It's fairly reminiscent of...well, Max damnit. Where did you learn to fight like that?"  
  
"I think my teacher was taught by Lord Varios." Peregrin said thoughtfully. "That is who taught Max right?"  
  
"Yes, that was him." It still hurt to think of Varios.  
  
Peregrin bowed. "If you'll excuse me, I believe I'll go in for some breakfast now. Wouldn't want to fight on an empty stomach, would I? And Serena's probably ravenous by now."  
  
"I could eat a horse, or at the least, a very large boar," Serena said.  
  
Mae smiled. "I guess I'll be off as well. I promised I'd Earnest and some others for some breakfast, before the start of the Tournament today."  
  
"Ok, then. See you there! Bye!" Peregrin said. He waved, and he and Serena departed, heading toward the castle entrance.  
  
Mae stared after him. His fighting style was so eerily similar to Max's that it was downright disturbing. That tuck-and-roll had been vintage Max. Could it be? But no, she must be delusional. He seemed a little darker in skin tone than Max had been. Also, he seemed more muscled, though Max had never been slender. Plus there was the fact that Max was dead, stupid.  
  
"I guess I just miss Max so much that I see him everywhere I go." Mae laughed out loud.   
  
"What's this about Max?" Earnest said.  
  
Mae jumped six feet in the air. "You...don't sneak up on me like that!"  
  
"I approached you with all the grace of a stampeding Golem."  
  
"It's the sign of total concentration. The ability to shut all other concerns."  
  
"Of course. Anyway, I thought we were meeting for breakfast. Can't fight on an empty stomach, right?"  
  
"Sure." They headed off.  
  
*  
  
"Peregrin, can I ask you a question?" asked Serena. After eating, they were now wandering about Guardiana. Excitement was high. The Tournament would begin on this day. Spectators were already flocking to their seats in makeshift, temporary stands.   
  
"Besides this one? Go ahead," replied Max, smiling.  
  
"Why didn't you fight back?" asked Serena, in a puzzled tone.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"There were several points in which you could have riposted, and start up some offensive pressure of your own. Yet you remained in a defensive stance, and let her control the pace. You only won with a lucky trick," said Serena, in an thoughtful, and analytical tone.  
  
"I thank you for your heartfelt support," Max said, lightly.  
  
"So why?" Serena pressed.  
  
"Just...overwhelmed, I guess. I was too cautious." Max couldn't bring himself to tell her that he simply hadn't had the heart to strike back. He couldn't bring himself to attack a friend like that.  
  
"Stupid," Max thought to himself. "You're going to be fighting a lot of your friends over the course of the next few days. Don't want to embarrass yourself, do you?"  
  
As Max and Serena continued walking, they got held up by a crowd, who were lined up in front of a building simply marked "Bets." Serena held out an arm, stopping Max.   
  
"Hold on," said Serena, grinning.  
  
"You can't be serious," said Max. "What would your father say?"  
  
"My father doesn't have to know, does he," said Serena, winking. "Just think of it as a little incentive for me to cheer you on."  
  
Posted directly on the building was a huge sheet with the word "Odds" at the top. It read as follows:  
(Ok, this part doesn't come out correctly, most likely. Sue me, I'm using Wordpad to write this.)  
  
Mae3:1  
Earnest7:2  
Ulag8:1  
Balbaroy8:1  
Zylo12:1  
Therios13:1  
Arthur15:1  
Luke25:1  
Myrinna30:1  
Dowan40:1  
Alano50:1  
Sekae60:1  
Clen60:1  
Sirra100:1  
Vlada150:1  
Peregrin300:1  
  
"I like my chances" said Max, amused.  
  
Serena shrugged. "To be fair, everyone on this list, excepting you, are combat veterans of the War. They've been in the thick of things, and they're well known. You on the other hand..."  
  
"Excuse me miss," said the bookie. "Are you placing a bet?"  
  
"Yes, 20 gold pieces on Peregrin."  
  
"Peregrin? Not even an outside shot, but it's your money." The bookie wrote her name and the bet on a slip of paper, and handed it to her.  
  
"Thanks." Serena checked the sun. "Around 11:00. Better get over to the preparations." They made their way over to a large, colorful pavilion with a sign above the entrance that said "Warriors." Two guards blocked their way.  
  
"Sorry miss, but the seats are over that way." The guard pointed over toward the stands.  
  
"We know. My name is Peregrin. Here's my invitation." Max said impatiently, handing the guard his card.  
  
The guard took a quick glance, and paled. "Oh, uh, sorry, sir. This young lady..."  
  
Max decided to save himself some time. "She's my squire."  
  
The guard turned a few shades paler. "Oh, uh, right this way then." He gestured toward the entrance. Sighing, Max and Serena entered.  
  
Max looked around. Scattered around the tent was a selection of the finest warriors this side of the world had to offer. Squires and assistants were helping to strap on armour, massage tense muscles, sharpen blades, and making many last minute adjustments. Max saw a huge warrior, carrying an giant double bladed axe, dressed in various animal hides. He saw an startlingly handsome man, with long, blond hair, dressed in an outfit that rivaled Max's for ridiculousness. He saw a tall female, heavily muscled, carrying a spear. An Amazon from the Southwest, he supposed. And in an corner-  
  
"Hey, Peregrin, Serena! Over here!" Mae waved them over, smiling. Standing in the corner was, well, the Shining Force segment. Mae and Earnest were going through some light exercises. Luke was practicing some sort of elegant kata. Zylo was practicing roundhouse kicks, that would knock a tall man's head from his shoulders. Balbaroy was nowhere to be seen...until Max heard an loud gust air as something large ripped by, above the pavilion, and he realized where Balbaroy was. Arthur looked deeply engrossed in conversation with one of the female participants. She merely looked bored.  
  
"Isn't this exciting!" said Luke, enthusiastically. "Oh, I haven't introduced myself have I? Luke, of Guardiana, at your service."  
  
"Control yourself, or you'll burn out before the match even starts," Zylo said, in a low gravelly tone. "I am known as Zylo."  
  
"Uh, hi, Luke, Zylo. I'm Peregrin, and this is Serena. She's agreed to help me as my squire today."  
  
"Pleased to meet both of you," said Zylo, smiling. Or at least, attempting to move his muzzle in an approximation of a smile. The effect was still friendly, though. "I'd introduce you to Balbaroy, but he's too busy on a joyride up there, that I don't know when..." Zylo's statements came to a sudden stop as Balbaroy landed swiftly, and stalked over to them.  
  
"I heard that," said Balbaroy. Max supposed he was amused, although he saw no change of expression. Months of dealing with the Birdman had taught him to recognize Balbaroy's moods. Or at least, he thought he knew how.  
  
Balbaroy turned to Max and Serena. "I am Balbaroy, guardian of Shade Abbey." He curled his wings in front of him, and bowed deeply.  
  
Max and Serena both returned the bow. "Peregrin, and this is Serena. Glad to make your acquaintance."  
  
"Any idea when we're getting underway?" asked Luke.  
  
At just that moment, a beautiful young woman stepped into the room, dressed in regal robes, and carrying herself with a stately air. It was Anri. She was followed by Tao, Lowe, Khris, and...Domingo.  
  
"When did Khris get into town? And why the hell is Domingo here?" whispered Luke.  
  
"Shut up," growled Zylo.  
  
"Why does everyone tell me to shut up? I have feelings too you know." Luke complained.  
  
"You shut up or I will make you shut up!" said Zylo, exasperated.  
  
"And how will you do that?"  
  
"Ever try speaking with a crushed windpipe?"  
  
Luke gave Zylo a dirty look, but shut up. Max ignored them. His attention was entirely focused on Anri. Max felt blood rushing to his brain. He took a deep gasp, and the spots in front of his eyes cleared. Had he just forgotten to breathe?  
  
Serena shot him a concerned look, but he dismissed it with a wave of her hand. Anri cleared her throat.  
  
"Welcome, to the first Champion of Arms tournament. I thank you all for coming so far."  
  
Everyone applauded politely. "Me and Mae excluded, of course," muttered Luke.  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"The rules are simple. You will fight each other in single combat. The winner will stay in the tournament, while the loser will be eliminated."  
  
"Now, as you know, tournaments such as these have been lethal in the past, resulting in many casualties."  
  
"Huh?" said Arthur, blinking.  
  
"We're trying to avoid loss of life, so..." Anri looked at the piece of scripture she was reading from suspiciously. She looked toward Tao. "I don't remember dictating this."  
  
"Let's just say I added my own improvements," said Tao, mischievously.  
  
"Come on, do I have to?" Anri complained.  
  
"Yes, you promised!"  
  
"Fine." Anri cleared her throat. "...the Beautiful, Charming, Exotic, and Spectularly Single Tao, and I, the Regal, Stunning, Somewhat less beautiful but still single Anri, have devised a spell." Anri shot Tao an evil look. She pointed toward Tao, formed an crystal of ice in the palm of her hand, and crushed it brutally. Tao didn't look put off in the least. Mae, Luke, Max, and the rest of the Shining Force tried to hold back laughter. They failed utterly.  
  
Anri blushed, and continued to read. "It will enchant your weaponry, so that any lethal force will be nullified. Instead, an electrical shock to the nervous system equal to the amount of force that the blow would have caused will be administered. If you get hit in the arm, the functionality of that arm will be slowed accordingly. This system is mainly in place to prevent the kinds of damages that healing magic cannot fix, like decapitation, or a blow through the heart.  
  
"Lowe and Khris will be on hand in case of any emergencies." Anri gestured toward the two healers behind her. They nodded.  
  
"Now, if you don't mind, we will begin the enchantment process." The participants began unsheathing, unwrapping, or generally presenting their weapon of choice. Anri and Tao worked their way through, Anri offering personal greetings, and Tao making suggestive remarks to the more attractive men. Together, they would touch the weapon proferred by the competitor, lift their staffs, and bring it down. The weapon would then glow brightly with a white light, then just as suddenly as it appeared, the light would vanish. Tao and Anri worked their way over to Arthur.   
  
Arthur winked at Tao. "If you're looking for the perfect male, you've come to the right place."  
  
Tao just stared at Arthur, contemplating what the best way would be to kill him. Torch the house he lived in? Burn down a tree, and cause it to fall and crush him? Maybe just strike him with a Blaze spell directly, that would probably be the best way. Tao detached herself from her fantasies, finished with Arthur (who had shut up after seeing that look in Tao's eyes) and walked over to Anri, who was puzzling over what to do with Zylo. They finally settled on enchanting those gloves he wore, and forcing him to wear a pair of boots, so they could enchant those. They worked their way over to Max.  
  
Max felt his throat constrict. He swallowed, hard. Tao smiled, in welcome. Anri made a short bow. "Peregrin, right?"  
  
"Ye..Yes."  
  
"Pleased to meet you. My congratulations on stopping Adom, it was a noble task, and took a courageous heart."  
  
"Thank you, Your Highness."  
  
"Please, call me Anri." Anri tilted her head, in thought. "You know, even though we just met, I feel like I've known you forever."  
  
"Hehe.." Max fidgeted. "Yeah, people get that way around me sometimes."  
  
"Well, anyway, good luck in the Tournament." Anri and Tao enchanted his weapon, then headed over to Luke.  
  
"You could have fried an egg on your face Peregrin," Serena said, amused.  
  
Anri and Tao finished with Balbaroy, then headed to the front of the podium, where they could address everyone. "Thank you," said Anri. Anri procured a big bix, with a round hole on the top. She shook it. Max could hear something rattling in there.  
  
"This box contains balls, numbered from 1 to 16. It will determine your placement in the tournament. Number 1 will fight 2, 3 will fight 4, and so on. The winner of the 1 and 2 match will fight the winner of the 3 and 4 match, until there is only one person left. Do you understand?"  
  
Everyone nodded. Tao walked around, handing out the box for everyone to draw a ball.  
  
When it was his turn, Max reached in, and came up with a ball with the number 3 on it. Meaning...  
  
Arthur smiled at him from across the room, happily waving his ball, with the numeral 4 painted on it. "Tough luck pal, being matched up against me so early. I'll go easy on you, don't worry."  
  
Max smiled. "I feel so reassured."  
  
Arthur grinned, then tried to strike up a conversation with Clen, an small, wiry warrior. She moved with an deceptive grace and ease, and looked to be schooled in the art of stealth, and assassination. If he was aware of this, Arthur didn't show it.  
  
(I'd like to put in a nice little bracket type thingee, but I don't know how, since 1.I'm typing this on frigging Wordpad, and 2.I dunno if fanfiction.net even accepts these kinda things anyway...anyway here are the results, work them out yourselves, okee?)  
  
1. Balbaroy  
2. Sirra  
3. Peregrin  
4. Arthur  
5. Earnest  
6. Ulag  
7. Myrinna  
8. Dowan  
9. Zylo  
10. Alano  
11. Vlada  
12. Luke  
13. Mae  
14. Therios  
15. Sekae  
16. Clen  
  
Anri cleared her throat, interrupting the mutterings between contestants and their entourage. "Please return here in a 4 hours time. The first matches will be held then. Thank you."  
  
Everyone left the tent, scrambling to make last minute preparations, and to grab something to eat. Excluding the Shining Force, Max, and Serena, that is.  
  
"Khris!" Luke exclaimed, wrapping Khris in a bear hug.  
  
"You're...crushing...me," Khris said, wincing.  
  
"Oh uh, sorry about that," Luke put her down. "When did you get in? Why are you here?"  
  
Khris smiled. "I was supposed to be here a few days earlier, but I was delayed," she explained. "I'm here to lend my healing talents if needed, since, as everyone knows, all Lowe here is good for is applying bandages and making squealing noises."  
  
"I know, but you don't have to be mean about it," Lowe said, ruefully.  
  
Arthur smirked. "Domingo, why on Darksol's grave are you here?"  
  
"I'm the cute, cuddly mascot," Domingo explained. "Don't you just love this adorable face?"  
  
"Uh, you don't have a face, per se," said Tao.  
  
Domingo started to argue, then stopped. "Hey, you're right."  
  
Arthur sneered. "What do you expect from a creature with a brain as small as a walnut?"  
  
"You're just asking to be thawed out of a block of ice," Domingo countered.  
  
"You know, your stuffed body will make a fine display over my fireplace."  
  
"Bring it."  
  
"Boys, and um...creatures." Anri injected hastily. "I need Arthur for this tournament. Afterwards, you can bash each other over the heads as much as you want."  
  
Max yawned. "All this arguing is giving me the munchies."  
  
Mae nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, let's eat! Can't fight on an empty stomach!"  
  
"I know this place a few blocks from here, it has great Waral seafood," Lowe suggested.  
  
"What are we waiting for then!" everyone exclaimed. Together, as one, they rushed off.  
  
Max smiled. "Just like old times..." he thought.  
  
Author's note: Yeah, it's been a while...but I have an excuse this time! And not my lame-ass excuses I've had before! You see, I've been in Korea for the entire month of August, sight seeing, getting bit my mosquitos, and wondering why Japanese food is so cheap over here yet so expensive in Canada. To compensate, I've busted my chops writing a chapter that's fairly longer than usual. Rest assured, I WILL NOT QUIT ON THIS! I'm seeing this through to the end. I thank all the people who've given reviews so far, and yet again welcome feedback at strider_yoshi@yahoo.com, everything welcome, feedback, fan mail, flames, even links to hardcore pornography ;) BTW, if I've mistakenly misnamed things, tell me, will ya?   
  
Cheers!  
  



	14. The Champion of Arms Tournament

Chapter 14  
  
"Damn, that was good," Lowe exclaimed enthusiastically.  
  
"You would know," Serena chided, "you ate enough for about half of us."  
  
"Never could resist good seafood," Lowe said, contrite (not really).  
  
"It's true," said Tao. "The man invested an small amount of our funds into that stomach of his when we were in Waral. The man can't hold that food at sea though. Want me to tell the story Lowe? About how we were sailing, and you were feeling sick, so you stumbled onto Anri and-"  
  
"Shut up," said Lowe and Anri simultaneously. Everyone else roared with laughter.   
  
Anri narrowed her eyes. "I still haven't forgiven you for that stunt you pulled, by the way."  
  
Tao didn't sorry in the least. "Well, excuse me! There were a few cute guys out there, you know. Like that Therios, for example."  
  
"Bah," spat Earnest. "Not even a real warrior. He's just some lord pretending to be something bigger than he is, who let a few minor victories get to his head."  
  
"Besides," said Arthur, "I'm the only male you'll ever need Tao." He leered at her.  
  
Tao looked at him, then began chanting words in a monotone. Arthur gulped, then backed away a few steps.  
  
Anri looked at her curiously. "Those weren't even magical words."  
  
Tao smiled. "I know. If he had paid more attention at Manarina, he would have realized it right away. Arthur can even cast a few magical spells himself, he should know better."  
  
"Anyway, it's not like you're seeing anyone right now? Unless you and that young Duke of-"  
  
"Don't remind me," growed Anri.  
  
Balbaroy cleared his throat. "If you'll excuse me, I have to begin preparations for my own match." He spread his wings, and took to the sky.  
  
Serena glanced at Max. "We should probably get a move on as well. Your match is right after Balbaroy's," she said.  
  
"After I watch Balbaroy's match, I'll start warming up then," Max replied.  
  
"There's a interlude in between matches anyway, so you should have plenty of time," Anri said.  
They made their way to the stands, and due to Anri being queen, and Lowe, Zylo, and the rest being heroes, people made room and they were able to squeeze in at the front. Max admired the way that Anri just intermingled with her people, unlike many other kingdoms. No special privileges, no rules forcing people to bow at her presence. She loved her people, and they loved her in return.  
  
Something occurred to Max. "Your Highness, you don't have any bodyguards?"  
  
Anri shot him a mock glower. "Don't call me that. I've just never felt the need for one. They would be put to better use stopping crime, or patrolling the city. In any case," she added, "my magic is quite sufficient." She grinned.  
  
Max nodded in understanding. The crowd became hushed, as an announcer stepped into the middle of the makeshift ring.   
  
"Your attention, please!" he shouted. His voice was unusually loud, and startled everyone.  
  
Anri shot an questioning look at Tao, who nodded. She held up her staff, which was faintly glowing with a pink light. More magic.  
  
"I am happy to announce that the Champion of Arms Tournament has officially begun!" The announcer was interrupted by the cheers of the crowd. He let the cheers carry on for a moment, then continued. "Without further ado, let me introduce the contestants of this match!"  
  
"From the kingdom of Mysta, I present to you, Sir Sirra!"  
  
A large man, about half a foot taller than Max, and heavier by a few pounds, entered the makeshift ring from Max's right. Max and the rest of the Shining Force politely applauded him.  
  
"Hailing from Shade Abbey, and a member of the Shining Force, Balbaroy!"  
  
Balbaroy swooped in from high above, and landed on the ground in an earth-shaking thud.   
  
"All right Balbaroy!" Max hollered.  
  
"Show them what you're made of!" Mae yelled.  
  
"Go Sirra!" called Arthur. "Get that flying freak!"  
  
Everyone stared at Arthur. "Hey, if Balbaroy wins, that means I have to go up against him in the next round. You think I want that?"  
  
Ignoring the temptation to remind Arthur about their match, Max turned around. Things were just about ready to start.  
  
"Fighters, shake hands," said the announcer. Balbaroy and Sirra quickly clasped hands, then let go.  
  
  
"Sir Sirra, are you ready?" said the announcer.  
  
"Ready," said Sirra, in a deep voice. He took up a traditional combat stance, sword held in both hands, pointed directly at Balbaroy's throat.  
  
"Balbaroy, are you ready?" The announcer raised his hand up high, palm open, fingers straight.  
  
Balbaroy inclined his head slightly. "Yes." He took up a similar stance.  
  
"Fight!" The announcer brought down his hand in a chopping motion.  
  
Sirra immediately began an offensive. Bellowing loudly, he swung his sword fiercely in an overhead blow. Balbaroy blocked, though the force of the blow pushed him back. Sirra continued to press, swinging in an high strike, which Balbaroy swayed under, and countered by kicking at his opponent's breast plate, knocking him to the ground. Balbaroy backed off, allowing Sirra to slowly climb to his feet.  
  
Tao looked worried. "Sirra is pretty strong, isn't he?"  
  
Mae shook her head. "Strong, but slow. He doesn't even have an decisive advantage in strength over Balbaroy.  
  
Earnest nodded in agreement. "Include the fact that Balbaroy is quicker, more agile, and..."  
  
Springing away from one particularly nasty blow, Balbaroy spread his wings, and took to the sky. Sirra looked confused, wondering how he could strike an enemy that was currently hovering 20 metres above him.  
  
"...and that he can fly...well, this is going to be a short match."  
  
Balbaroy held his sword in front of him, and dived toward Sirra. Sirra tried to block, but the force of Balbaroy's blow was too great, knocking his guard away, and striking a damaging blow to the knight's chest. Balbaroy rose into the sky again.  
  
Mae sighed.. "Won't be long now."  
  
Balbaroy executed his Sky Dive attack several more times. Each time, Sirra was struck a damaging blow. He was beginning to look tired, swaying on his feet, sword held unsteadily. Balbaroy swooped in one last time, and struck Sirra across the back of his knees, knocking him to the ground. As Sirra tried to rise, Balbaroy shoved him to the ground, and swung his sword, hitting Sirra in the back of the head hard with the flat of his blade. He repeated the blow twice more, then stepped away. Sirra laid motionless.  
  
"Sirra is unable to continue. I pronounce Balbaroy the victor!" bellowed the announcer.  
  
The crowd cheered. Tao, Luke, and the rest of them were clapping very hard, and hollering loudly. Arthur looked slightly disappointed, but clapped anyway.  
  
Max watched as Lowe and Khris stepped out onto the ring, and began to summon the spirits of healing. Serena tapped him on the shoulder.  
  
"Um, let's go."  
  
Max started. "Right! My match!" Max quickly stood up.  
  
"Good luck Peregrin!" said Tao.  
  
"Thanks," said Max, smiling.  
  
Arthur was making preparations to leave as well. "What about me, Tao?" He whined.  
  
Tao rolled her eyes. "Good luck Arthur," she said, with a somewhat sarcastic tone.  
  
Arthur took the comments at face value. "Thanks!" He headed away, followed by Luke, who was muttering, "Why do I have to help him anyway..."  
  
Max started to follow him, until Serena put an hand on his shoulder, stopping him. "Uh, Peregrin, we're supposed to go to the other side of the ring."  
  
"Oh yeah," said Max.  
  
They worked their way over, where the guards directed him over to a changing room. It didn't take very long, as all Serena had to do was help Max into some light chain mail, as well as strapping on his sword to his back.  
  
They exited, and made their way over to the East entrance. Serena helped Max through some light exercises, making sure Max was loose and warmed up.   
  
"How do you feel?" Serena asked.  
  
"I don't know," said Max. "You know that feeling you have when you've gone, well, about 10 drinks over your limit?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I feel worse then that."  
  
Serena gave Max a quick smile. "Well, good luck Peregrin. I know you can do it."  
  
Max smiled. "Thanks."  
  
One of the guards came up to Max. "Sir Peregrin, we're ready to go in two minutes."  
  
Serena retreated a few steps, waved, gave Max a final, beautiful smile, then sprinted in the direction of the stands. Max watched her go, and suddenly felt a lot better. He followed the guard over to the entrance of the ring, and awaited his cue.  
  
Max wasn't kidding when he said he felt nervous. The thing is, he didn't know why he felt nervous. Was it because he was scared of going into battle? Not a chance there. Max was a veteran of combat, a true warrior. He had fought countless amount of times, and had never felt how he did now. Then why did he feel so queasy? Max thought he knew why. In the past, he had fought for the sake of his friends, for the people who depended on him. It was for the sake of war, with a true enemy. Now, he was fighting, well, for glory. Not only that, he was going up against old friends as well. Max remembered how he had hesitated at attacking Mae. Could he now strike down Arthur in combat?  
  
Actually, Max reasoned to himself dryly, recalling Arthur's smug expression, he probably could.  
  
"Think about it this way," Max reasoned with himself. "If you don't give your opponent everything you have, then you show you have no respect for him. Besides, there's no danger here. Lowe and Khris are on hand. You can't deal any fatal blows. Just relax, and try your best. You lose nothing if you fail."  
  
Max felt somewhat reassured by his own self-reasoning. All doubt had left him, only leaving a growing resolve.   
  
"I present to you, the warrior known as Peregrin!" That was his cue.  
  
Max stepped out. He was met with scattered applause, and even some laughter because of his outlandish clothing. The exceptions to this was the Shining Force members, and Serena, who all cheered him enthusiastically.  
  
"Go, you gorgeous hunk you!" Tao called out, with a Cheshire cat grin on her face. Max blushed an particularly vivid shade of red.  
  
"Was that really necessary," Mae asked.  
  
"Hey, don't underestimate the power of a woman," said Tao, cheerfully.  
  
"His opponent, I present to you, a distinguished member of the Shining Force, Arthur!" called out the announcer.  
  
Arthur was met with a somewhat more animated greeting, especially from the young female humans and centurions. Max thought he also heard a faint snicker at the word "distinguished."  
  
"Boo!" called out Domingo. Max looked around, and spied that crazy magical creature floating directly in front of the stands. Domingo continued to make catcalls and hurl insults toward Arthur.  
  
Arthur and Max stood directly across from each other. They bowed, in respect. Or at least, Max did. Arthur's bow was more mocking than anything.  
  
"Arthur, are you ready?" asked the announcer.  
  
"Ready as can be," said Arthur. He took up a combat stance, lance pointed directly at Max's throat.  
  
"Peregrin, ready?"  
  
Max simply nodded. He took up an careful stance, legs spread wide apart, with weight evenly distributed, one hand leading in front, and held his sword parallel to the ground.  
  
"Fight!"  
  
Max began slow, short steps to his right, circling around Arthur. Arthur noticed this, and began shuffling over to the left, to match Max's motions.  
  
"All right," Max thought. "I have one advantage in that I know how Arthur thinks, how he fights. How can I turn that to my advantage?"  
  
Max began to smile inwardly. He knew exactly what Arthur's weakness was: arrogance. He knew how to take advantage of that too...  
  
Suddenly, Max rushed forward, swinging his sword in a slow overhead arc. Arthur easily parried the blow, smiling jauntily. Max followed up with an slow horizontal swing, which Arthur easily dodged.  
  
Max continued to strike out, and Arthur continued to parry and dodge nonchalantly, all with a cocky grin on his face. The crowd began to laugh, finding this amusing.  
  
Max fell down to one knee, panting. "Come on," he thought.  
  
Arthur took his cue. He began an startling counter-offensive, raining lightning quick blows. It appeared that Arthur was kicking the stuffing out of Max.  
  
Up in the stands, Serena was puzzled. "I don't understand," she said hesitantly. "I know Peregrin is faster than this."  
  
Mae was equally puzzled. "Arthur's not any faster than me. Peregrin should have been able to block those, no problem. And those attacks, so badly telegraphed! Unless..."  
  
Arthur swung his lance around in an flashy circular strike, knocking Max flat to the ground. He took this time to turn to the crowd, and raise his arms in triumph.  
  
Arthur's first mistake was to severely underestimate his opponent. Although a fell warrior in his own right, Arthur's weakness was that he didn't have the concentration to fully attune himself to battle. If he'd paid attention, he'd have noticed that his blows weren't quite landing as full on as he'd liked. He also would have noticed that even though his opponent gave the impression of being tired, he was in excellent physical condition. There was no way that someone in that kind of shape could be tired that quickly. However, Arthur didn't notice that, and let his guard down.  
  
That was his second mistake.   
  
Max rolled with the blow, and in an impressive show of agility, did an instant kick-up, landing on his feet. Arthur had already started turning back toward him, to finish him off. Max swung his sword, striking Arthur in the head with the flat of the blade.  
  
Arthur reeled backwards. Max continued his offensive, landing three quick slashes into Arthur's abdomen. An visible bolt of lightning was seen each time he hit. Spinning in a full circle, he struck low, hitting Arthur directly in his front legs. The shock made Arthur's legs crumple. Max used his momentum to continue his spin, whirling in a full arc, and swinging his blade with all his might toward Arthur in a wicked, overhead strike.  
  
The sound made from Max's sword striking Arthur's head was reminiscent of the sound heard when you hit a coconut. Arthur's eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he slouched over.  
  
"The winner of this match is Peregrin!" the announcer said.  
  
The crowd was silent for a moment, stunned. Then they began to cheer wildly, dumbstruck at this awesome display of skill. Max saw a few people tear up some tickets in disgust.  
  
Max winced. While Max had managed to roll with most of Arthur's blows, a lot of them still managed to strike him almost full-on. Max had simply decided to persevere. Now, Max was beginning to feel the effects of those blows.  
  
He caught sight of Serena, Mae, Earnest, and Tao hurrying toward him from one direction. Lowe and Khris were heading in from another.  
  
"Great job," Serena beamed. Max blushed with pride.  
  
"An fine use of strategy," Earnest commended.   
  
"I knew you could do it," Tao said in a sultry voice. Max grinned weakly, and blushed a few more shades of scarlet.  
  
Mae nodded. "Excellent match." She walked over to Arthur, who was groaning. "Hey, wake up you bum!" She kicked him.  
  
"No mommy, I don't wanna go to school today..." Arthur groaned. He slumped back into unconsciousness.  
  
Khris sighed. "Well, I'll have him up and running in no time." Khris began to chant, preparing her Cure spell.  
  
"Lowe, you can cure Peregrin, can't you?" Serena asked, worried.  
  
"Be done in a jiffy," Lowe said, grinning. He quickly began muttering nonsensical words under his breath. Max felt his bruises heal, and the few broken ribs he had mend back together again.  
  
"Thanks Lowe!" Serena said gleefully. She thanked him by giving him a quick hug. Lowe turned as bright as Max's robes.  
  
Khris had managed to rouse Arthur. He looked over toward Max, and grinned. "Anyone see which horse ran me over?"  
  
Mae shook her head. "What have I told you about showboating?"  
  
Arthur grinned. "Not to do it."  
  
Max smiled. "Uh, sorry about that."  
  
Arthur nodded graciously. "I should be the one apologizing to you. I treated you like a nobody, and paid the price." He shook his head. "Ouch."  
  
Mae looked over. "We better clear off soon. They're getting ready to start Earnest's match."  
  
Earnest's eyes widened. "Right, my match!" He galloped off.  
  
"Anyway," said Arthur. "There's one thing you own me, Peregrin?"  
  
"What's that?" Max said.  
  
"Some drinks. Winner buys the loser a drink. It's a time-honoured tradition." Arthur said solemnly.  
  
Max nodded gravely. "Who am I to defy such a ritual then?" Max looked around. "Anyone care to join us?"  
  
Mae shook her head. "I'd love to, but I have a feeling getting uproariously drunk before my match tomorrow would be a bad thing. I'll ask Earnest though, I'm sure he'll be ready to knock back a few after his match. Assuming he's not unconscious."  
  
Lowe smiled. "Uh, Khris and I both have duty remember? Never try to heal someone when drunk."  
  
Max looked toward Serena. "Do you even have to ask?" she said, smirking.  
  
Tao thought about it. "I want to see Earnest's match first. I'll catch up with you guys later, ok?"  
  
"Fair enough," said Arthur. He looked toward Max. "Incidentally, you're my new rival and arch-enemy. I'd watch your step if I were you."  
  
Max broke out into laughter at these words. Serena joined in soon after.  
  
Arthur looked hurt. "Hey, I'm swearing revenge here! You should be scared..."  
  
*****  
  
Now, a word from your glorious, intelligent writer:  
  
An unusually quick time for me to write a chapter this time around. I actually had most of this written a week ago, but I've been rewriting sections here and there. This chapter still feels kinda bland...who knows, I might restructure it again later, but I thought I might as well post it up now. Once again, all flames, praises, and links to cool hentai can be sent to strider_yoshi@yahoo.com. Review at fanfiction.net, or at my e-mail address please. Reader feedback keeps an author motivated...  
  
Oh, BTW, to the reviewer who asked me to include Guntz, Adam, and the rest...I'll try, but it's going to be pretty hard. Musashi and Hanzo, Torasu and the rest are currently residing across the ocean. They'd be hard pressed to make it all the way across the sea...As for Adam, I'm not even sure what to do with him, never having used him in the game. If I was going to use him, I should have put him in the beginning, since that follows the SF I ending. But that would screw up a lot of stuff that I was planning, so I didn't...this fic is AU anyway. I could always come up with some crap reason I guess.  
  
Max: How did you guys get here?  
Rest: Uh...teleportation! Yeah, that's it...  
  
And so on. No guarantees though, plus you know how hard it is to use EVERY SF member? This has the feeling of a very long rant, so I'll stop now.  
  
Cheers!  
  
  
  
  



	15. Max vs Balbaroy

Chapter 15  
  
It was the crack of dawn, and in the courtyard, Max trained, alone.  
  
Max carefully brought his sword directly in front of his body, pointed toward the throat of an imaginary opponent. With a quick movement, he made an lightning quick thrust, darting forward. He made a second thrust, then sprang back, sword held in front protectively, parallel to the ground. Max parried an blow of an invisible opponent, blocked an overhead slash, then lashed out with an roundhouse kick. Max feinted low, lunged in a stab, and transformed his forward momentum into a dive forward. Without looking, he stabbed to the right. Max quickly whirled to his left, shoving aside an expected riposte, and whipped his right hand around in a wicked overhand slash. Max slowly stood upright, and sheathed his sword.  
  
Max was interrupted by the sounds of the castle doors being violently shoved open. From those doors strode Serena, looking disheveled in appearance, looking peeved.  
  
"Good morning," Max greeted.  
  
Serena didn't bother with pleasantries. "Why didn't you wake me up?" she complained.  
  
"I beg your pardon?" Max asked politely.  
  
"You know what I'm talking about," Serena said, irritably. She crossed her arms, and tapped one foot on the ground in anger.  
  
"We always train together at this time. You knew I was asleep. Yet you didn't wake me up. Why!"  
  
"Oh," said Max simply. "Well, I did try."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"How shall I explain this...you were totally smashed."  
  
"I was not!" Serena said, angrily.  
  
"You had eight beers last night," Max said, bluntly. "I had to carry you all the way back. It was pretty hard too, you're kinda heavy, you know that?"  
  
"Hea...vy?" Serena said dangerously.  
  
Max smirked. "You heard me." Max might have said more, but he was cut short as Serena rushed forward suddenly, swinging her sword furiously."  
  
"Sluggish today, are we?" Max said lightly, as he parried her blows effortlessly. "Maybe all that liquor made you put on some extra weight."  
  
"Shut...up," Serena said, panting. She began taking greater risks; striking with wild blows, and leaving herself open to retaliation. Max never counterattacked, and allowed Serena to continue pressing.  
  
She swung her sword with all her strength, aiming to cleave Max in half. Max simply stepped to the side. Serena became overbalanced, and fell down, with a groan.  
  
Max placed one foot on her back, lightly. "Do you yield?"  
  
"Let...me...up!" Serena said, trying to rise.  
  
Max pressed down with his foot. "Sorry. This duel isn't over until you surrender."  
  
Serena finally stopped struggling, and went limp. "I yield."  
  
"Excellent," said Max. He extended an hand toward Serena. Serena took it, and allowed Max to pull her up.  
  
Max shook his head. "Anger is a double-edged sword. You can use it as a tool, but do not allow it to cloud your judgement. A few carefully placed barbs is all it took for you to lose your self-control."  
  
Serena sighed. "You're right. I'm sorry."  
  
"No problem," Max said easily. "Now, I recommend you go back inside and get some more sleep. From the looks of things, you're suffering from an fairly large hangover. "RIGHT?" he shouted suddenly.  
  
Serena winced. "Not loud. Loud is not good," she complained.  
  
Max grinned. "Sorry. Now go on, get some rest."  
  
Serena hesitated. "Are you sure? Don't you need me to train with you?"  
  
"What do you call what we did just now then?" Max said, chuckling. "No, go on. Shoo. In fact, I order it. It could...um...disrupt your training. Yeah."  
  
Serena smiled. "I'll wake up in time for your match this morning." She left, wincing and clutching her head occasionally.  
  
Max spent another hour whipping through some exercises, then decided to wrap up. He hadn't seen Mae at all the entire morning. Perhaps she was resting from her grueling match.  
  
Max entered the castle, and went up to his room to get a quick change of clothes. Upon emerging, Max headed over to the dining room, to grab some breakfast.  
  
He headed down, and looked around, searching for a friendly face.  
  
"Hey, Peregrin, over here!"  
  
Max looked in the direction the voice was coming from. A small object was speeding directly toward his head...  
  
Max reacted quicker than thought, placing an hand up, and snatching the object out of midair. He looked at it; it was a muffin.  
  
Max looked up. "Who threw that?" he said mildly. He took a bite out of it. It was banana flavoured. He knew a person who had a craving for banana muffins...  
  
Giggles broke out from a pink-haired girl, dressed in hunter's garb. "Twas me."  
  
Tao, chewing on a blueberry muffin, rolled her eyes. "Peregrin, let me introduce you to Diane, renowned flirt." Diane shot a cold look at Tao.  
  
"Ah, but I am delighted, no, honoured, to make the acquaintance of such a beautiful lady," Max said smoothly. He plucked a flower from a vase on a nearby table. "I present this to you, milady, although it's loveliness pales in comparison to the delicate rose that blesses me with her presence." Diane took the flower, blushing.   
  
Luke, chewing on an apple, raised his eyebrows. "You made Diane blush. That takes some doing. She's shameless."  
  
Tao's eyes narrowed. "What happened to the shy and bashful act?"  
  
Max grinned. "Why? You like that type?"  
  
Tao smiled. "Yes. But I think like your type better," she said in a sultry voice.  
  
Diane's eyes narrowed briefly. "Sir Peregrin, I am honoured to meet you. If there is anything," here she put a slight emphasis on the word anything," just let me know. I am fully at your service." Diane turned to Tao. "Beat that!" Tao pulled down one eyelid and stuck her tongue out.  
  
Arthur, who looked mysteriously fine considering the beating he took two days ago (healing magic does wonders), whistled. "That's some good material, Peregrin."  
  
An centurion with long black hair, who was currently digging through a dish of eggs, bacon, and a healthy helping of oats, laughed. "Quick, Arthur, take notes, take notes!"  
  
Arthur smiled, and tapped his head. "Got it all right here."  
  
The centurion scoffed. "As if that tiny little cerebrum could hold anything."  
  
Tao smiled. "A point to Pelle."  
  
Pelle smiled. "Indeed." He extended a hand toward Max. "Pelle, Mercenary, at your service."  
  
Max shook it. "Peregrin, lazy bum, pleased to meet you."  
  
Pelle smiled appreciatively. "Not bad. I hear you're up against Balbaroy today. What do you think of your chances?"  
  
Max smiled weakly. "Not too well. Balbaroy has...one second," Max interrupted, as he spotted Serena entering the room. He picked up a muffin, and threw it her way. He landed a glancing blow on the forehead."  
  
Serena rubbed crumbs off her forehead. "Why'd you do that for," she said angrily.  
  
"Stay alert. Don't let your guard down. You'll live longer that way," Max chided. He turned back toward Pelle. "err, what was I saying again?"  
  
"It doesn't matter," Arthur said. "If you can beat me, you can beat anyone!"  
  
"Arthur, beating you doesn't prove anything," Luke said. "An old man on his deathbed could probably pound you solidly."  
  
"I disagree," interjected Tao.  
  
Arthur smiled hopefully.  
  
"I think that Arthur would first try to put in a few feeble blows, and then be pounded into the dirt," Tao finished.  
  
Arthur's face fell. Everyone laughed, at his expense.  
  
Max glanced outside. The morning sun was rising. "Well, time for me to get moving."  
  
Serena held up a hand. She was currently busy stuffing her face with toast. "Mmm...Mmm Mmm Mmmm...."  
  
"Chew your food Serena," said Max dryly.  
  
Pelle shook his head. "These kids."  
  
Serena finally swallowed. "I said, one second, I'll come with you."  
  
"Hang on, I'll come too," Pelle said. "I haven't got a chance to watch a match yet."  
  
"I'm done too," chimed in Tao.  
  
"Well, I guess we'll all go then," said Luke. "You done, Arthur?"  
  
Arthur shrugged. Together, they all made their way down to the arena, laughing, and joking. Once there, saying his farewells, Max and Serena made their way to the small changing room set aside for combatants, while the Shining Force members headed toward the stands.  
  
Max got ready quickly. He walked off toward the entrance to the arena. Serena quickly wished him good luck, then took off toward the stands.  
  
Max realized he still had a few minutes. He sat on the ground, closed his eyes, and relaxed.  
  
"Focus on nothing. Clear your mind of all thoughts." Varios had taught him this technique as a way to settle into an deadly calm. By keeping your mind clear, you focused on nothing but the Fight.   
  
Calm.  
  
Images of Lord Varios, who lay dying, and who he hadn't done anything to stop it, passed through his mind.  
  
Calm.  
  
Kain was fatally wounded, dying in his arms, dying through a final act of redemption. Another death he couldn't prevent.  
  
Calm.  
  
General Elliott lay dead at his feet. A noble warrior, trying to protect his country, stabbed with Max's own sword.  
  
Calm.  
  
"...Peregrin!"  
  
That was Max's mental cue. His eyes snapped open. He leapt up to his feet, and strode into the arena, met by appreciative cheers.  
  
"...and the fell warrior of the sky, Balbaroy!"  
  
Max looked around. Balbaroy was nowhere in sight.  
  
A large shadow passed over Max, strangely enough, since it was a cloudless day. That could only mean one thing...  
  
Balbaroy came swooping down in a flourish, landing gracefully. He inclined his head toward Max.  
  
"No matter the outcome, I still remain your friend," said Balbaroy.  
  
Max smiled. "Likewise."  
  
"Fighters, are you ready?" the announcer asked.  
  
"I am ready," said Balbaroy, shifting into an combat stance.  
  
"Let's roll," Max said. He crouched into an combat stance as well, sword held protectively.  
  
"Fight!"  
  
Max immediately charged Balbaroy. He knew he wasn't going to win by surprise this match. Sparks flew, as the fighters exchanged blows.   
  
Max pushed forward, clinching his sword with Balbaroy's. Both gave their all as they tried to force the other back. Max was slowly winning. Max lashed out with a foot, knocking Balbaroy off his feet. Instead of taking the opportunity to strike, he backed off, allowing Balbaroy to regain his footing.  
  
"This is no time to be a gentleman Peregrin!" shouted Serena, from the stands.  
  
Max smiled inwardly. Normally, he would press every advantage he had, but he was a little winded from this exchange, and had just backed off to rest a bit.  
  
Balbaroy climbed to his feet, slowly, cautious all the while. He charged toward Max, lunging. Blows flew quicker than the eye could see as the two were lost in the Fight.  
  
Meanwhile, Pelle watched from the stands, surprised. "Peregrin is actually faster, and stronger. I heard he was good, but I didn't realize he was this good. He's Shining Force material."  
  
Luke nodded. "Of course, Balbaroy's advantage has never been strength or speed. It's always been..."  
  
Balbaroy sprang back, and unfurled his wings. With a powerful thrust of his wings, he leapt into the sky.  
  
Luke stroked his jaw, thoughtfully. "Now, this should be interesting. Peregrin's speed is useless when he can't actually hit his opponent. What's he going to do now?"  
  
Serena scowled. "He'll figure something out, just you watch. I bet he has a plan right now."  
  
Max hadn't a clue of what to do. He watched Balbaroy swoop down toward him, from high up in the sky, and futilely tried to put up his sword to block. No good; With the speed Balbaroy was going at, he simply knocked Max straight down. It felt like Max was being trampled on by a rampaging Golem.  
  
Max picked himself up slowly. Balbaroy was coming around for another pass. Max got to his feet, and desperately dodged, throwing himself into a dive to the side. Balbaroy rose back into the sky again.  
  
"Damn," Max thought. "I can't keep this up indefinitely. But what can I do against someone who flies?"  
  
Balbaroy made a third pass. Max threw himself into a dive again, but Balbaroy had anticipated this, and had turned with his roll. He solidly smashed Max into the base of the stands. Max shook his head, dazed.  
  
Curiously enough, it was this hard blow to the head that gave Max an desperate idea to put into effect. It was risky, and there was every chance it would fail, but he had nothing to lose at this rate.  
  
Balbaroy swooped high in the sky. He was coming around for a final pass, intending to finish this.  
  
"Now or never," Max thought. "Man, if this doesn't work, I'm going to look like such an ass."  
  
As Balbaroy dived toward him, Max simply stood still. Even as Balbaroy came closer, Max showed no attempts at evasion, or defense. People began to scream as Balbaroy hurtled faster than the eye can see. Balbaroy savagely swung his sword in a motion designed to cut Max in half at the waist.  
  
Max dropped flat to the ground. At the same time, he placed his hands behind his head, and rocked his legs back, and kicked up like a frog, into a backwards somersault. His two feet solidly struck Balbaroy in the chest, spinning him. Limbs and wings flailing, Balbaroy went hurtling directly into the base of the stands.  
  
*Crunch*  
  
Max raced over toward Balbaroy's crash site. Amazingly, Balbaroy was still conscious, though dazed, and wobbly. Max placed one foot on Balbaroy's back, preventing his attempts to rise. Holding his sword in a two handed grip, he stabbed down, in between Balbaroy's shoulder blades. A blinding bolt of lightning appeared, sending Balbaroy into convulsions. Max stabbed down twice more, then climbed off of Balbaroy. The winged warrior was still.  
  
"I declare Peregrin the winner!" said the announcer. The crowd erupted.  
  
Max paid no attention. He was immediately bent over Balbaroy, checking him over for injuries.  
  
"Hey, Balbaroy, say something" Max urged.  
  
Balbaroy finally stirred. "No Amon, I do not wish to go to the market today...please..." he mumbled.  
  
Max smiled, relieved. He was suddenly aware of someone grasping his elbow. He turned. Serena was there, beaming at him.  
  
"Great job, Peregrin!" she said, excited. "Nice move back there, that was really something..."  
  
Someone else took a firm grasp of his other elbow. "If you'll excuse me, miss." Max heard the sounds of chanting. Max's mind grew clearer as his dizziness faded.  
  
Serena smiled at the caster of the healing spell, an middle-aged man, bald, and who appeared to be dressed in clothing suitable for an monk. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "And you are...?"  
  
"Gong?" said Pelle. "Why are you here?" Pelle, Tao, and the rest had wandered over from the stands, concerned about Balbaroy's condition.  
  
The healer monk shrugged his shoulders. "Lowe is currently resting in his room, suffering from the king of all hangovers. I volunteered to replace him for today."  
  
Tao shook her head. "Lowe never could hold his liquor."  
  
"Is Lowe OK?" Serena asked, concerned.  
  
"Ah, he'll be fine," said Tao. "This is normal for him, really,."  
  
Diane, meanwhile, was fawning all over Max. "Oh, are you alright, Peregrin? I was so worried!" she said.  
  
Max stretched his muscles experimentally. "Better than new, I should say. Gong did a bang-up job fixing me up." Max nodded gratefully to Gong, who nodded back.  
  
"Hmm...you're really strong, and tough," Diane said, running an hand over Max's biceps. "I wonder how else you could apply those muscles of yours..."  
  
"Diane, not now," Tao said, amused.  
  
Diane glared at Tao. "Why? Just when I had him within my grasp too..."  
  
Tao pointed. Diane turned around, then froze. Queen Anri was standing directly behind her, an amused expression on her face.  
  
"Oh, uh...hi!" said Diane.  
  
"It's alright," said Anri, smiling faintly. "It's not like I'm some sheltered princess or something."  
  
"Hey, where were you anyway? I didn't see you at all," asked Luke.  
  
Anri shrugged. "I had an boring committee meeting to attend, and managed to get here fast enough to catch the end of the match." She looked toward Balbaroy, who was currently being attended to by Khris. "Will Balbaroy be alright?"  
  
"He'll be sore for a while, but it looks like there's no permanent damage,She ran one final check, then nodded. "We better get him up to his room. Hmm, he's kinda heavy..."  
  
"One sec," said Pelle. "Arthur and I will help."  
  
"I will?" Arthur said. Pelle glared at him. "I mean, oh yeah, of course!" Together, the three of them began lugging Balbaroy toward the castle.  
  
Anri directed her gaze toward Max. "Peregrin, congratulations on your victory today."  
  
"Thank you," Max said automatically. Anri gave him a quick smile, then strode off toward the castle.  
  
Tao shook her head. "Always busy, that one. She needs to take some time off."  
  
"She's overworking herself," Luke agreed.   
  
Max shook his head. "Has Anri been like this ever since she became queen?"  
  
"That, and worse," Tao shook her head. "She's been like this ever since Max died."  
  
Max felt somewhat uncomfortable. Was he the reason why Anri was working herself to death? He suddenly stumbled.  
  
"Oh, you poor dear," said Tao. "We'd better get you to a soft bed, and maybe, a full-body massage. I'd be happy to provide it." She linked her arm around Max's.  
  
"What do I think of that idea..." Diane said, thinking. "The term, snowball's chance in hell comes to mind." Diane took a hold of Max's other arm. "Don't worry Peregrin, I'll take care of you..." she crooned.  
  
"No, it's ok," Tao said. She tugged on Max's arm. "Don't trouble yourself.  
  
"It's perfectly alright," said Diane. A strange gleam had come into her eyes. She tugged on Max's arm, pulling him back towards her.  
  
Diane and Tao continued their tug-of-war, their conversation growing less civilized by the second. Khris and Luke looked on, amused. Serena seemed to be angry for some reason.   
  
"Lucky guy," Luke said, shaking his head.  
  
Max groaned. "If this was luck, Luke can have it, and my sword too!" he thought.  
  
  
  
A note from your preposterously intelligent author:  
  
One long weekend plus bored author equals new chapter. I was originally planning to make this a fairly short chapter, but instead, it kept on getting bigger, sort of like when you just keep on fitting legos together. Remember to review; also, if you review, please heap on copious amounts of praise, thus increasing my ego to roughly the size of Mexico. Reviews encourage me to write...or something.  
  
Anyway, question. Why the hell aren't any of you other SF fic writers updating! The only author I've seen update in the last while is SilverKnight (For which I am extremely grateful. Now write more, more!) Of course, if you guys start writing again, people will realize that my fic actually sucks. (yes, this is my first fic =D)So uh...don't update...yeah. =)  
  
Again, all feedback can be sent to the usual e-mail address. I'm too lazy to type it out, so I won't. If you want to e-mail me so badly (yeah right), you can find it on one of my earlier chapters. I'm going to be really busy soon, starting with midterm exams, a FAQ I want to write, and possibly a new Seiken Densetsu fic. I'll try to keep to crank these chapters out though.  
  
Cheers!  
  



	16. A startling new discovery

Chapter 16  
  
The bartender glanced around the tavern. Business was fairly slow, with the day only being in the mid-afternoon stage. He expected things to get busy after the next round finished, which should be soon. He picked up the local newspaper, whose headline stated: "Peregrin triumphs over Zylo". This tournament had been good to him, bringing in a lot of people. Sure, you ran into some unsavory characters, but the money was worth it. You did run into some strange of course during these busy times. As the barkeeper mused to himself, he heard the door opening, then closing a second later. He glanced over to the doorframe. A hamster was currently standing in it, and glancing about. The barkeeper glanced away, then turned back to his newspaper. He frowned suddenly, as he thought back to what he had thought he had just sawn: an hamster? He put down the paper, and slowly twisted his head to look to the side.  
  
The hamster was still there, and was now sauntering over to the bar. The bartender stared. It was a normal looking hamster, except for the fact that it was twenty times larger than any hamster he had ever seen. Its teeth were huge. As well, it had this most ridiculous helmet on its head. The hamster walked over to the bar, and sat down, and looked at the bartender expectedly. The bartender continued to stare in disbelief. The hamster cleared his throat, which came out as an high-pitched squeak. The bartender finally picked up on his cue.  
  
"What'll you be having...uh...sir?" The bartender stuttered. He wondered if the hamster could understand his language. Fortunately, this particular hamster was used to dealing with humans, centaurs, and magical creatures alike.  
  
"A glass of beer please," said the hamster. "Make it snappy will ya? I have some friends to visit."  
  
The rodent could talk! The bartender pulled himself together. "Ri..Right away sir." He walked over to the barrel of local brew on tap, and filled up a tall glass. Topping it off with foam, he slid it over to the hamster. The hamster deftly caught it one hand, and took a long drink. The hamster let out a long sigh of satisfaction.  
  
The bartender approached cautiously. It was part of his job to chat up the customers. Talkative people tend to drink more, after all. However, the bartender wasn't used to "shooting the breeze," with a overgrown, talking hamster.  
  
"How are things today, sir?" He began with a simple question. The bartender briefly wondered whether the hamster was one of those brooding characters, but dismissed that thought almost at once. He didn't seem the type. Of course, the bartender had never had the chance to classify hamsters before.  
  
The hamster immediately proved his suspicions to be right. "Swell, just swell." The hamster said, enthusiastically. "Just in to visit some old friends, and watch this Champion of Arm-Wrestling, or whatever it's called."  
  
The bartender nodded. "Have you known these friends for long?"  
  
The hamster...smiled? At least, that's what the bartender thought he was doing. For all he knew, that was a homicidal grin, that was to be followed shortly by a lightning-quick attack by those oversized teeth...  
  
The hamster however, wasn't of the murdering type. "Eh, we go way back. All the way from the war against Runefaust, actually. Some of my old battle-comrades."  
  
The bartender looked at the hamster skeptically. He had been in the War? What did he do, gnaw some trees to death? No, wait, that was the beaver. Either way, the bartender found it laughable that an overgrown rat had participated. "You were in the War, sir?"  
  
"Oh yes, right in the thick of it," The hamster said. "Went up against all sorts of evil dudes. Of course, it wasn't just me. There were a whole bunch of other people, like Mae, Anri..."  
  
"Queen Anri?" The bartender said, in disbelief.  
  
"Right, she was a princess before, wasn't she? Yeah, and that Matt character, or whoever. We were called something, the Singly, the Shingle..."  
  
"The Shining Force?" The bartender's eyes practically jumped of his sockets. This talking hamster was a member of the Shining Force?  
  
"Yup!" said the hamster proudly. "Travelled the whole world over with them! You know, that Mark character..."  
  
"Max," the bartender corrected.  
  
"Whatever. I taught him everything he knowed." The hamster said boastingly.  
  
"Right..."The bartender looked at him skeptically.   
  
"It's true," the hamster insisted. "Why, they were in a deep pickle before I arrived to pull them out of the woods, so to speak. It was really me, behind the scenes, guiding everyone. I could have taken everyone out by myself of course, but I preferred to let them have their time." The hamster leaned back, nodding smugly.  
  
"..." The bartender was silent. What was he going to do, argue with a talking hamster?  
  
Fortunately, the bartender was saved from answering by a group of new customers coming in: a group of centaurs, two humans, and what looked like an upright, talking, and walking wolf. The bartender sighed. This had just been one of those days.  
  
*  
  
"...so here I am, trapped outside my own quarters, naked, when Lord Varios walks by. Lord Varios has as much a sense of humour as a cold fish. So I stand to attention, throw my best salute, and say 'Sir, I regret to inform you that my stealth operation exercise has failed." finished Lowe.  
  
Everyone broke out in laughter, except for Earnest, who gave a slight chuckle. Max smiled in amusement. He had been the one to lock the door by climbing through the window, while Hans had stolen Lowe's clothes.  
  
"So what happened?" asked Zylo, grinning.  
  
"It went OK, actually. Lord Varios made me hold salute, gave me a onceover, and said 'It's obvious that the exercise was a failure. I recommend you go and cover up it's shortcomings."  
  
"How'd you get your clothes back?" asked Mae.  
  
"I climbed through the window," said Lowe, shrugging. "It was curiously open." Lowe turned around to glare at Ken, who was clutching his sides in silent laughter.  
  
Ken straightened up, and put on a innocent look. It fooled nobody. "What?"  
  
"I know you weren't there," Lowe said suspiciously. "You were on patrol that night. But I bet you know who did it..."  
  
"Yes, I do."  
  
Lowe glared. "Who?"  
  
Ken smirked. "I'll never tell."  
  
Lowe made an exasperated sound. The group chuckled.  
  
Mae poked an elbow into Earnest's ribs. "You know, you shouldn't try to act so funny all the time. Your sense of humour is driving us into hysterics."  
  
"Huh?" said Earnest, confused.  
  
"Lighten up, man!" said Lowe. "Jeez, you'd still think the War was going on, or something."  
  
"We've got to remain on guard!" said Earnest fiercely. "There's still resistance out there!"  
  
"Sure," said Lowe, "but there's a time for vigilance, and there's a time for fun! Guess what time this is! I mean, even Mae here is having a good time, and she's, well..."  
  
"Lowe, do you want to finish that sentence? I am your superior."  
  
Lowe completely ignored her. "Even Anri's here! And Goddess knows how council meetings and committees and paperwork to go through. She's here having a good time."  
  
"Like I could ever have fun with the likes of you, Lowe," Anri smiled. "But even your company is preferable to the endless amount of politicians I have to meet. Fortunately, I can use this Tournament as an excuse to get away. Officially, I'm acting as an diplomat to Peregrin. Unofficially, I'm here to check the state of taverns in Guardiana. I expect to have to do a very, very, thorough job."  
  
They had arrived at their destination, a local tavern, which was rumored to have an excellent local brew.  
  
"Ah, finally!" said Zylo. "And this is where you deliver on those drinks you promised, Peregrin. Your pocketbooks will rue the day you beat Zylo, the werewolf!"  
  
"Rue? Since when did you start using such complicated words?" mocked Lowe.  
  
"I picked it up in between hunting sheep down and howling at the moon," Zylo said sarcastically. "What, you think I can't read or something?"  
  
"Boys, behave," chided Serena. "We have to do some light drinking now, in preparation for doing some heavy drinking later on."  
  
Max nodded solemnly. "We have no time to waste." He gestured to the doorway. "Shall we?"  
  
They stepped inside. Earnest looked around. "Looks like there's one table over there...why...don't we..." He fell silent as he spotted a large...brown....thing hurtling straight at him!  
  
"ARGHHH!!" Earnest let out a shout of surprise as the foreign creature well...glomped (note. Enthusiastic hug- Refer to various Animes) him?  
  
"Earnest!" The brown object shouted, in a high pitched voice.  
  
Surprised at hearing his name called by an attacking monster, Earnest stopped struggling, and looked down. A familiar face, complete with helmet, and large oversized teeth, was looking at him happily. "Jogurt?"  
  
"Duh! Unless you've seen other large hamsters around," said Jogurt, the Hamster.  
  
Earnest sweated. "It's nice to see you in all, but would you mind getting off me?" He struggled to pull the hamster off of him; he had a surprisingly tight grip.  
  
"Yeah, sure thing." Jogurt released his death grip on Earnest.  
  
Anri chuckled. "That's one for the historians to remember. Big, Bad, Earnest, who faces down enemies without a sweat, and breaks down walls without feeling a thing, panics and squeals like a little girl when an large, cute, hamster attacks him...?"  
  
Everyone broke down in laughter. Earnest tried to say something in his defence, but realized there was nothing left to say.  
  
"I'm never going to be able to live this down," he thought.  
  
Jogurt turned his attention to Anri. "HII!!" He crushed her in a tight grip.  
  
"Can't...breathe..." gasped Anri.  
  
Jogurt proceeded to give everyone in the group a bone-crushing hug, even Serena and the disguised Max.  
  
"Uh...I guess introductions are in order," said Anri. "Peregrin, Serena, this is Jogurt. Jogurt, this is Peregrin and Serena."   
  
Max and Serena both waved their hand. Jogurt gave an enthusiastic nod of his head.  
  
"So..." began Ken, "what are you doing here Jogurt?"  
  
"First, I'm buying drinks for everyone here." Jogurt gestured to the bartender. "Drinks all around please!"  
  
"Wait, do you even have any money?" asked Anri.  
  
Jogurt pulled out a sack of gold, which was strange, considering he had no pockets. "Yup! I've got plenty!"  
  
"How does a hamster earn money?" Max asked curiously.  
  
"Oh, that!" exclaimed Jogurt. "That's easy. I simply look like this," at this point, Jogurt put on the puppy dog eyes. "Then I hold out my helmet, and people put money in it!"  
  
"That's cute," said Serena.  
  
"That's disgusting," said Zylo. "Why in my ancestor's name would people give money for free to a useless thing like you?"  
  
"Two things: Looks, and personality," Jogurt said smugly.  
  
Anri acted quickly, looking to avoid an argument. "No, really, what are you doing here?"  
  
Jogurt shrugged. He had no shoulders, but the motion was implied. "I came to visit you guys, of course. I was bored. And I want to watch this Champion of Armor, or something."  
  
"That's Champion of Arms," Ken corrected.  
  
"Whatever," Jogurt said. "Anyway, what's happening anyway?"  
  
"We're up to the finals," Anri said happily. "It's Peregrin versus Mae for the championship."  
  
Jogurt made an surprised sound. He pointed at Max. "YOU made it to the finals? You don't look all that strong."  
  
Max weakly smiled. "Just lucky I guess."  
  
Zylo rolled his eyes. "Luck, my foot. I've never had my style shut down so effectively before."  
  
Max winced. It had been an fairly easy fight for him. Knowing Zylo's style inside and out, he had been able to successfully block and parry each of Zylo's attacks. Considering that Zylo fought hand-to-hand, and Max fought with a weapon, Zylo swiftly had his arms and legs become numb and sore, from Max's hard blocks. From there, it had been a fairly easy fight. "Sorry."  
  
Jogurt pointed to Earnest. "Did you enter?"  
  
"Yes. And I lost," growled Earnest.  
  
"Oh." Jogurt scratched his head. "How about Art...Art something?"  
  
"Arthur? Peregrin beat him too." Ken said.  
  
"Uh...how about that bird-guy?"  
  
"His name is Balbaroy," said Anri, rolling her eyes. "Peregrin eliminated him from the tournament as well."  
  
"Wow," said Jogurt, surprised. "It's like a 3 for 1 special on Shining Force members."  
  
"Uh...what's a 3 for 1 special?" asked Serena.  
  
"Anyway, you better win Mae. Otherwise, Peregrin here is going to make the Shining Force look like Shining Chumps," said Lowe.  
  
"Easy for you to say," Zylo muttered. "It's not like you did much in the battlefield."  
  
"It doesn't matter. The streak stops here, Peregrin," Mae said, grinning. "I'll make sure you receive the best medical treatment."  
  
Everyone laughed. At this point, they had finished their first round.  
  
"Anyone hungry? Let's go to that place in the South end of town," said Lowe.  
  
"As long as they have an excellent selection of nuts, and fruits, I'm there," exclaimed Jogurt.  
  
They left the restaurant.  
  
*  
  
Serena walked on, chatting and laughing. This was fun! Here she was, actually talking with members of the famous Shining Force. She was even getting a chance to talk with Queen Anri, and she hadn't turned out to be stuck up at all. Even Earnest was a nice guy, once you dug down. Jogurt's good cheer was infectious, and even Earnest was being drawn out of his brooding mood.  
  
Peregrin was still his outgoing self. However...when Serena looked at him, his mood seemed...false. Like he was acting. She wasn't sure, as she didn't have any evidence to support her theory, but Peregrin seemed to be under a lot of stress and pressure. Of course, that might just be because of the tournament. That could turn anyone jittery. Who would have expected he would have gone this far?  
  
In fact, what was with him anyway? After dramatic victories over Arthur, Balbaroy, and Zylo, one might have expected a sense of happiness, or joy. He had been just as calm afterwards as he was during the battle.   
  
Why had Peregrin felt a need to disguise his identity? Was he some kind of criminal? Serena didn't think so. She had learned much of him, not only combat skills, but also the basic philosophy he held. He had taught Serena to be kind to others, and to respect all life; to help people in need, and not to bully the weak. A man like that couldn't be a criminal, could he?  
  
Peregrin was a mystery, an enigma to her. She wanted to understand him...  
  
They passed through the marketplace. It was still fairly light out, and the place was full of vendors hawking their wares, while shoppers tried bargaining to come to a mutually satisfying agreement. The smell of roasted chicken filled the air.   
  
Serena slowed suddenly. She looked about. There was something...She couldn't put a finger on it, but something was definitely wrong. She felt a presence, something that filled the air with its stench, something evil. It was just an hunch, but Serena had learned to follow her instincts, and heart.  
  
Lowe, who was walking beside her, saw her slow down. "Serena, what's up?"  
  
"Something doesn't feel right," Serena replied, glancing around. The marketplace was still full of people. What was going on?  
  
"Yeah, I know. I shouldn't have had so much of that ale too..." Lowe was oblivious to Serena's worry. Serena looked around. There was one man, off by himself. And he was pointing in their direction....  
  
"...but hopefully, a good meal will balance that out and..."  
  
"DOWN!" Serena shouted. She grabbed Lowe and pulled her down with him, as she dove for the floor.  
  
Peregrin reacted instantly, grabbing the two nearest people beside him, Anri and Jogurt, and dropped to the deck. The Shining Force, trained by years of experience, was quick as well. Mae and Ken both went into kneeling positions folding their legs beneath them and dropping down. Zylo went into a dive, tucking his arms, and rolling on his shoulder.  
  
A beautiful, sky-blue beam came out of the man's hands, circular in shape, about 3 metres wide in diameter. It swept over the heads of Serena, Peregrin, and the rest, and struck the people directly to the right of them. Blue sparks played over their bodies, and they convulsed, rapidly. They fell down to the ground, stunned, and twitching.  
  
The man cursed. He pulled back his hands, and put the together so that the fingers were parallel. He began chanting nonsensical words under his breath...  
  
It was too late. Peregrin was already there, having drawn his sword, and swung his sword with a shout. He scored a direct hit, cutting the man open from shoulder to hip. Serena waited for the man to fall.  
  
It never happened. The man's skin began to give off a glimmer, and seemed to...melt? The man's skin began dripping down his body, peeling away like scraping mud off. The man's features crumpled up, then slid away, reveaing an skeletal face, with glowing red eyes.  
  
"A Demon Master!" Ken gasped.  
  
The Demon Master hissed. He slowly backed away, and then melded into the shadows of an alley.   
  
Peregrin charged after him, roaring. Only to come to a confused stop. "He's gone?" he asked, looking around.  
  
Anri held up a hand. A fire sprang to life, arising from her palm.   
  
"Since when could you cast fire spells?" Lowe asked, surprised.  
  
Anri shrugged. "I've been practicing. She cast her gaze around. "Looks like he's gone. I wonder how he pulled that particular disappearing act?"  
  
Mae shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Right now, we've got to ensure your safety. Ken, I want you to get back to the castle. I want Guardiana on full alert. Double security, and patrols. Also, I want Hans and some other hunters tracking down that Demon Master.   
  
"I'm on it," Ken said. He galloped away swiftly, heading in the direction of Guardiana castle.  
  
Mae turned to Lowe. Lowe was checking on the condition of the innocent people who had inadvertently been struck by the Demon Master's spell. "Lowe, how are they?"  
  
Lowe was checking a young man's pulse. "Hmm. Heartbeat is regular. Looks like some kind of paralyzing spell. Doesn't look like there'll be any permanent damage." Lowe lifted up the eyelid, and peered inside. "However, they could suffer some kind of cardiac trouble, or suffering from shock. We need to get them back to an hospital, fast."  
  
  
Mae nodded. "Right. Do what you can. Zylo, can you...?"  
  
Zylo stopped her short. "No problem. I'll get word to Khris, and we'll see what she and the rest of the healers can do."  
  
Mae smiled in gratitude. "Thanks, Zylo." Zylo took off at a run, and took a high leap, landing on the rooftop of a nearby house. He bounded across, from rooftop to rooftop.  
  
That only left Serena, Peregrin, Mae, and Anri. Jogurt was nowhere to be seen. "What should I do?" asked Serena.  
  
"Would you and Peregrin mind helping me escort Queen Anri back to the castle?" Mae asked.  
  
Serena nodded. "Of course. Is that OK, Peregrin?"  
  
Peregrin turned around. He was currently crouched in front of what looked like a wooden bin, used to contain trash. "Huh? Yeah, sure, no problem." Peregrin returned his attentions to the bin. "OK, you can come out now."  
  
A disheveled head, helmet attached, poked out of the bin. "I wasn't hiding you know. I just...got stuck after diving out of the way. Yeah." Jogurt said, pitifully.  
  
"Anything you say," Peregrin said, rolling his eyes. He reached into the bin, and pulled Jogurt out by the head, and set him down. Peregrin turned back to Mae. "Should we get going?"  
  
Mae nodded. "Let's roll. Queen Anri?"  
  
Anri scowled. "Not yet. There's still things I can do. Like making ice packs for the wounded, for example."  
  
"Lowe said that their injuries are not serious. They'll be fine. We are going now."  
  
"But...I can help them!" Anri protested.  
  
"There will be no further discussion. Your safety is of first importance. We are moving now!"  
  
Anri stomped her foot angrily. "You can't tell me what to do."  
  
Mae shrugged her shoulders. "Yes, I can, actually. When it comes to matters like the defense of the city, or the safety of the head of state, the military leader has precedence in such matters, according to Rule 7, Section 8 of the new amendment of bill C-61. It was passed by your father."  
  
Anri sighed. "You're right." She glanced at the injured. "Will they be OK?"  
  
"They sure will," a new voice said. Serena looked up. There, along with some other healers, and doctors, stood Khris, armed with medical supplies, and carrying both Lowe's and her staff. She tossed Lowe's staff to him. "I thought you'd need this."  
  
Lowe snatched it out of mid-air. "Thanks, Khris." He looked to Anri. "Your Highness, Mae is right. These people will be fine. Please, get to safety."  
  
"I told you not to call me that," Anri muttered. "All right, let's get going." They got moving, with Mae taking point, and Serena and Peregrin taking the rear. Jogurt hung around with Anri.  
  
Serena thought back. That had been a Demon Master back there, one of the most powerful magicians alive. How did it get in? The answer to that question was obvious: it had somehow disguised itself as a human, and snuck in during the Tournament. Of course, that meant that anyone around them could be disguised...Serena shivered.  
  
Second: what had the Demon Master hope to accomplish? The most obvious answer seemed to be an assassination attempt, aimed at taking out Queen Anri, one of the key leaders in the world. But that answer didn't make any sense, Serena thought. The spell used had been one designed to stun an opponent, not kill him. Why bother incapacitating someone, then killing them? A simple wide-area Freeze spell would have been a better option. Why all the trouble? Perhaps that meant a kidnapping? But why attack in the middle of a large crowd, when the target was surrounded by allies? Serena didn't think she would find the answer to this soon.  
  
"Are you OK?" a soft voice asked.  
  
Serena started, then looked. Peregrin was looking at her with concern. Somehow, they had reached the castle already.  
  
"Huh? Sorry, I was just thinking." Serena said.  
  
"No problem. Good job spotting that Demon Master, by the way. How'd you know?" Peregrin asked, curiously.  
  
"I...I don't know. I just got this feeling, like something there was wrong. And I just acted, on instinct." Serena said, a touch desperately.  
  
Peregrin looked at her strangely. Serena sighed. "I know it sounds strange."  
  
Peregrin shook his head in denial. "No, it's not strange at all. In fact, you remind me of someone I knew. Tell me...when you say it felt wrong, did it feel like...a clogging darkness, like something dark was there where there should have been light?"  
  
Serena blinked in surprise. "That's it exactly. How did you know?"  
  
Peregrin smiled. "I have a friend to introduce you to, if you don't mind."  
  
Serena nodded, confused. "It's fine. But what do you mean? What's this friend like?"  
  
Peregrin scratched his head. "It's hard to explain...well...you'll see."  
  
*  
  
After saying goodbye to Anri and Mae, as Mae whisked off Anri, surrounded by guards, to her room, Peregrin led Serena through the corridors of Guardiana castle.  
  
"Peregrin? Where are we going?" Serena asked.  
  
"To see that friend of mine. Unless you're too tired?" Peregrin replied.  
  
"No, I'm fine. But who is this friend of yours?" Serena asked again.  
  
  
Peregrin ignored her. "Ah, we're here." They had reached a room at the end of a hallway. It seemed to be living quarters. Peregrin gave a soft knock at the door.  
  
A low, calm, voice came from the door. "Come in."  
  
Peregrin opened the door, and gestured inside. Serena went in. Once inside, she took a look around. It seemed to be a small, but comfortable room. The room itself was fairly sparse; there were little signs of decoration, and the whole thing had a sense of being practical, yet it somehow had a sense of calmness. A bed was propped up against the wall. A fire was lit in the fireplace opposite the wall. And sitting in an armchair, facing the fire was an elderly wolf.  
  
Serena looked to Peregrin in confusion. "Why didn't you tell me we were going to see Nova?"  
  
Peregrin shrugged. "I wanted to surprise you, that's all. Besides, it's fun to see you get all curious. You get so agitated in that state."  
  
Serena rolled her eyes. "Very mature. Good evening, Nova."  
  
Nova got up from his chair, and bowed. "Good evening, Miss Serena, and Peregrin as well. What brings you here at this time?"  
  
"It's Serena. I think she might have some talents that might interest you." Peregrin replied. He gave Nova a significant look.  
  
Nova returned the look with interest. "Indeed? Please, sit down, both of you." He gestured to the other two armchairs in front of him.  
  
Once Serena and Peregrin had gotten comfortable, he continued. "You seem to be in a lot of distress, Serena. Would you mind telling me what's bothering you?  
  
Serena went through an explanation of what had happened that afternoon. Nova stayed quiet throughout, pausing only to nod sometimes, and trade looks with Peregrin.  
  
"Interesting," Nova said. "Now, when you say you somehow sensed something was wrong...it felt like sickness perhaps? You might have possibly felt a nauseous sensation in the stomach."  
  
Serena blinked in surprise. "Yes, that's it exactly. How'd you know?"  
  
Nova smiled. "I shall explain, in due time. Now, please, allow me to run an little experiment."   
  
"What kind of experiment," Serena asked, cautiously.  
  
"Nothing. I just want you to close your eyes for a few minutes, and tell me what you feel." Nova replied.  
  
Serena searched Nova's face, which currently had a serene expression. She could read nothing from that. She looked to Peregrin, with a questioning look in her eyes. Peregrin nodded.  
  
Serena looked Nova squarely in the eyes. "All right. Let's do it."  
  
"Thank you. Now please, relax, and close your eyes."  
  
Serena closed her eyes. Was something supposed to be happening now? She felt slightly embarrassed as she just sat there. Was this just some kind of game?  
  
Serena felt something change. The room...it suddenly felt darker, colder...enclosed. It was exactly what she had felt in the afternoon. Something was happening!"  
  
Serena opened her eyes in panic, and glanced about wildly. She expected to see another Demon Master, or maybe a horde of monsters attacking. However, nothing had changed. Nova was still sitting in his armchair, with that same calm expression, while Peregrin was now grinning broadly, in excitement.  
  
"What...what's going on?" Serena asked, confused, and scared.  
  
"I knew it!" Peregrin said, excited. "She has it, Nova! She has the Sight!"  
  
"Your instincts were correct, Peregrin," Nova said. "She does indeed have the gift."  
  
"Uh...would someone mind telling me what's going on?" Serena asked. The Sight? What the Hell?  
  
"Pardon me," Nova said. He paused, as if to gather his thoughts. "What you have is a rare gift, possessed only by a few certain individuals. This gift allows one to sense the aura of people, how they are deep down inside. The Sight allows you to strip away all exterior disguises, and allows you to glimpse directly into the core. Few have the gift, and even fewer have the ability to develop it to actively use it. Most can not develop this talent further then say, determining what the mood in a room is. You however, were able to narrow it down to a particular source, in a crowded area as well. I've never seen such talent."  
  
Serena paused, trying to take all this in. She had a gift? Preposterous. She had never had any sort of talent like this, not that she could think of. But...  
  
Serena thought back. Back right before the big battle with Adom, she had noticed a nauseating feeling she had. She had put it down to nervousness, but perhaps it was this Sight Nova was talking about?  
  
She thought back to when Ginny and her had been attacked by a group of men. Right away, she had been able to sense that they were a bad lot. Was that intuition, or the Sight?  
  
Serena looked at Nova. "How can you be so sure?"   
  
"That was the whole purpose of my experiment, Serena," Nova replied, smiling. "I have spent years mastering the Sight. I am able to change what my soul feels like, as strange as it sounds. Observe," Nova closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them. "Serena, what do you feel?"  
  
Serena closed her eyes. "I feel...happiness."  
  
Nova nodded. "That was exactly the feeling I was trying to project. Only one with the Sight could feel that."  
  
Serena nodded slowly. "OK, let's assume I have this...Sight thing. So what?"  
  
"Although your raw abilities are impressive, they are still unrefined," Nova explained. "With the right training, you could master your abilities, and be able to See at an even greater degree then you do now."  
  
Serena thought about it. It sounded scary. Would she turn out to be some kind of freak in the end? Impulsively, she looked to Peregrin. "What should I do?"  
  
Peregrin spread his hands. "I will not tell you."  
  
"Why?" Serena asked, desperately.  
  
"It is your own decision. You must make the decision based on what you think, and what you think alone." Peregrin said, solemnly. "Only you can choose the path to travel. I can only tell you this: listen to your heart."  
  
Serena's head was whirling. She could refuse to take the training. She could go back to leading the happy life she was living, helping with the farm, getting married one day, raising a family, then growing old and content. She could live a life of happiness, comfort, and security.  
  
But...she would go through life without knowing what would have happened if she had taken the opportunity. How things would have turned out. She knew how her life would probably turn out if she refused. This was one dark road she could tread on. When Serena thought about it though, she knew there was only one choice to make. She had gone through her life impulsively, following her heart. Why stop now?  
  
She raised her head. "I'll do it. Can you train me?"  
  
Nova smiled. "I have been waiting for a student of your caliber for quite some time. I would be honoured."  
  
Peregrin grinned. "Congratulations."  
  
Serena smiled. "Thanks." She turned to Nova. "So when do we start?"  
  
"Anytime you wish," Nova replied. "Perhaps in the morning, or the evening, tomorrow?"  
  
Serena shook her head. "Evenings are OK. I train with Peregrin in the morning anyway."  
  
Peregrin held up a hand. "It's alright. We can stop the sessions in the morning if you want."  
  
"If you stop teaching me, I'll never forgive you," Serena replied easily. "You'll never get that cake on your birthday I promised to bake."  
  
"You don't even know when my birthday is. And since when could you bake?"  
  
"My mother taught me many useful things. Like sowing stitches. And the art of gossiping. All you know how to do is farm and fight."  
  
"Fair enough." Peregrin looked to Nova. "It's getting kind of late. I guess we should be going now."  
  
"Yes, and you get up fairly early in the morning, as usual," Nova said, smiling. "Well, farewell. I'll see you, at, oh, sundown tomorrow, Serena?"  
  
"Sure," Serena said. There was something that was still on her mind..."How do you two know each other?"  
  
Peregrin and Nova traded looks. "Well, uh, Nova was kind of a mentor to me, you see. He taught me a few of his philosophies," Peregrin explained.  
  
"When was this exactly?" Serena asked.  
  
"Uh...Uh..when you were in..." Peregrin seemed to be nervous. "um...Manarina! Yeah, that's it...when you were stopping there, right Nova?"  
  
"Yes, that's right! When I was there, on my travels, researching magic!" Nova seemed somewhat flustered as well. That was a first.  
  
"Well...alright...I'm going to bed then. It's been a fairly long day," Serena explained, smiling tiredly.  
  
"Sure," Peregrin said. "Can you go first? I've got to talk to Nova for a bit."  
  
"No problem," Serena said. She took off for her room, and thought about the day's events.  
  
"This has been a very strange day, girl," she thought to herself.  
  
*  
  
Max wiped the sweat off his brow. "Phew, close shave, huh?"  
  
Nova nodded. "Indeed. Max, how long are you going to keep this charade up? Anri misses you. The rest of the Shining Force misses you."  
  
Max looked away. "Anri is strong. She doesn't need someone like me back in her life, who only knows how to kill." Max looked up at Nova. "I saw your signal. What do you want to talk about?"  
  
Nova looked at Max. "It's Serena. Right now, she has the power of Sight. This would be a great asset against the remnants of Darksol's evil minions. However, she is untrained, and because of this, vulnerable. If word of her talents reaches the enemy, they will not hesitate to kill her. Please, watch out for her."  
  
Max sighed. "I've been doing that all this time..."  
  
*  
  
Author's section type thing:  
  
Greetings and salutations! Yes I know it's been a long time...stupid school. I was really hoping to be more active on this, but it hasn't turned out that way. Damn that Harvest Moon for being so addictive..who would have thought that milking cows day after day could be so much fun? From here on, I'm trying to stick to a strict schedule of releasing a new chapter every 2 or 3 weeks. By the way, I really don't have that large of an ego, it was all part of my fairly warped sense of humour...so don't think that I think that I'm Tolkien, Asimov, and Brooks rolled into one, with a healthy dash of Tolstoy on the side. Because I'm not.   
  
Once again, e-mails can be sent to the usual address. Find it in one of the previous chapters, since I'm typing this in Word, and it does that annoying auto thingee with e-mail addresses, and I don't like that. And note to all those other SF writers out there: WRITE! I see a good one about Earnest and Mae that's very promising, read that one now! Oh, and the usual plug of Silverknight's...his/her(?) work is top-notch.  
  
PS. Read 8-bit theater. It's funnier then midgets at a circus!  
  
Cheers! 


	17. Final round

Chapter 17  
  
In a large guest room in Guardiana Castle, a solitary figure began to stir. Serena, waking out of a deep sleep, slowly stretched, and yawned loudly. Climbing out of the temptingly comfortable bed, she walked over to her window, and threw open the curtains. However, instead of seeing an empty and peaceful courtyard, she saw a group of figures standing off to the side, watching one figure, dressed in fairly colourful clothing, strectching, and warming up.  
  
Serena cursed loudly, and at great length. Not again! She quickly sprang over to her drawer, pulled out the first set of clothing she saw, and hurriedly dressed. Once again, for the second day in the row, she had overslept. And today of all days, the day of Peregrin's big match! What if he needed her help in warming up? Her shame knew no bounds.  
  
Grabbing her sword where it lay on her dresser, propped up at a convienient distance from the bed, (one can't be too careful) she ran down at full speed, travelling down flights of stairs at an alarming rate. She threw open the castle doors, ignoring the guards who called out greetings, and dashed out into the courtyard.  
  
Peregrin saw her, and waved her over. "Those shoes SO do not match those pants," were the first words that came out of his mouth."  
  
"I didn't have time to accesorize," snarled Serena. "What's with the crowd?" She nodded at the group of people, about twenty strong, staring at him.  
  
Peregrin glanced over. "Oh. Them. I'm not sure really. They just got here a bit before you did, and haven't said a word to me since. Probably just some of my many fans and admirers."  
  
"As if," Serena said, smirking. She turned to the crowd. "Hey, you people. What are you doing here, and what do you want?"  
  
They glanced at each other. "Well…we just came to watch," a young man said, embarassed.  
  
"Watch?" Serena repeated tonelessly.  
  
"To watch the great warrior Peregrin in training," said another. "We're all swordsmen in training, you see…"  
  
"And you wondered what mysterious arts Peregrin used to get so strong?" Serena asked sarcastically.  
  
"Oh, is that all?" Peregrin said, smiling. "Why didn't you just ask me directly?"  
  
"Well, we were, uh…scared. That you would be angry."  
  
Serena chuckled. Anyone who knew Peregrin would know that he was pretty much the most even-tempered man around. In battle, though, he became almost like a demon…  
  
Peregrin laughed. "Look, people, I don't have any special secrets to share. The only thing I can share with you is this: practice. The reason I fight as I do is because of the years of experience I've had. I was fighting and training while you people were still nice little boys and girls at home."   
  
Peregrin's face took on a solemn look. "A sword is a weapon of war, of killing. To fully wield a sword, one must accept the consequences every time you draw a sword out of its sheath. A warrior must be prepared to injure, or kill. That is the difference between one who lives, and one who dies.  
  
The young swordsmen were silent, contemplating his words.   
  
"Training can only make up one small part of a swordman's skill. "Speed; Strength; Technique; those all make up a warrior's fighting ability. But the one thing that drives him? The killer instinct, which only comes with practice. That is the difference. My strength comes with the stain of blood on my hands."  
  
"So the only way to become as strong as you are...is by killing?" one hesitantly asked.  
  
"No. The instinct to kill is the most deadliest. But there are others. They say that a mother protecting her young is the most dangerous thing in the world. The instinct to protect life, to protect...ones dear to you." Let that be your drive. Fight not to get stronger, but to be able to protect those who cannot help themselves."  
  
The group was silent. "Heh," Peregrin said suddenly, smiling. "You look like you've just grown up a few years." That got a nervous laugh.  
  
"Well, in return for your lost youth," Peregrin said, "here's a little something for you." Max reached into his pocket, and pulled out a wad of tickets. "Great tickets to today's match."  
  
"Wow! Really! Thanks a lot!" They were all enthusiastic in their thanks. Peregrin watched them go.  
  
"A nice bunch of kids," Peregrin said, smiling. "So innocent..."  
  
"Kids? They're barely a few years younger then you are," Serena said, snoring. "You're what, 25? Don't forget, you have the maturity of a 10 year old as well."  
  
"Point granted. By the way, how did lessons go?"  
  
"Taxing, as usual. You remember those first few days when you were whipping me into shape? And how I felt afterwards?"  
  
"What about them?"  
  
"Combine that with a hangover, and you have me. I'm not exactly in a pleasant mood right now." Serena winced, holding her head.  
  
"Speaking of pleasant people, look who's here," Peregrin said, pointing. Mae had just stepped outdoors, and was trotting over towards them.  
  
"Yeah, she's not much of a morning person, is she?" said Serena, smirking.  
  
Mae came over. "You were just talking about me, weren't you," she said, suspiciously, glancing from one smiling face to another.  
  
"Of course not," Peregrin said. "Can't you tell from the sincere look on my face?" He was wearing an ear-to-ear grin.  
  
"Liar," Mae said, smiling. "Never mind. I don't think I want to know, as it probably wasn't to my credit anyway."  
  
Mae glanced over at something behind them. "Warm-up matches? Got rid of them that quickly?" she said, pointing.  
  
Serena turned. In the distance, she saw the group Peregrin had been talking to, straggling off.  
  
"Not in the least," Peregrin said. "They just wanted to get strong, that's all. I just told them the cost that comes with power."  
  
"Ah," Mae said. Serena saw that Mae's eyes took an haunted look for a moment. She recognized that expression; it was the very one Peregrin wore at times.  
  
"Anyway," Mae said briskly, "I've got to get warmed up. I'll see you at our match today!" Mae bowed, and started galloping off.  
  
"You two were so civil to each other," Serena remarked drily. "Yet in a few hours time, it'll be a different story, won't it?"  
  
"Life's interesting that way."  
  
*  
  
Serena and Peregrin decided to head in. After both took a quick bath, and headed down to grab some breakfast. There, they found Mae already there, along Lowe, Zylo, Arthur, Tao, and the rest of the Shining Force gang that was in Guardiana at the moment. Even Princess Anri was there.  
  
"Ah look, the villain arrives!" greeted Lowe enthusiastically.  
  
Peregrin sat down, and began to help himself to some eggs and toast. "I'm the villain now? Is it about that poker game? I'm sorry, but you're terrible at cards..."  
  
Lowe snorted. "That was just a bad night, that's all. No, you're the villain, because Mae's the hero, right? So, automatically, that makes you the bad guy."  
  
Mae, who was watching this conversation with an amused look, laughed. "No one could ever mistake Peregrin for a villain. No bad guy would be caught dead in that outfit." She pointed to the blinding array of bright colours that Peregrin was wearing.  
  
Everyone laughed. Even Peregrin enjoyed a chuckle. "This is a tactical choice of clothing. No opponent can bear to even look at me, let alone put up a fight." This got another round of laughter.  
  
Balbaroy looked at Mae and Peregrin wonderingly. "You two will be pitted in a fierce battle in a few hours, yet here you are, trading jokes, and eating the same food? I find this very strange."  
  
"Don't forget trading combat tips," Serena said, smiling.  
  
Peregrin faked a look of shock. "You're right. I should be at the opposite side of the room, hurling hateful looks, sneering, and staring her down. Perhaps it's not too late to salvage the situation." With that, Peregrin's smile vanished, and he combined words with actions, and giving Mae a look of death.  
  
Mae sipped her coffee calmly. "What are you doing?"  
  
"Quiet," said Peregrin. "I'm staring you down. Breaking you up psychologically. Feeling nervous?"  
  
"Not in the least," Mae said, with a serene look on her face.  
  
"It really looks more like you're thoughtful, or something," Anri observed.  
  
"Incidentally, what's up with your mouth?" Serena asked.  
  
"I'm giving her a menacing sneer. Impressed?" Peregrin asked.  
  
"If you're trying to intimidate someone, you shouldn't let the corners of your mouth twitch as if you were trying to stop from smiling," Serena said helpfully. "It gives the wrong impression."  
  
"I knew I should have left you at home," Peregrin said, groaning.  
  
Tao and Arthur looked at them, then looked at each other, and smiled. Serena noticed this. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," Tao said, putting on an innocent look.  
  
Peregrin glowered. "What?"  
  
Arthur smiled. "Are you sure you want us to say?"  
  
"What is it?" Serena said, annoyed.  
  
"Well, we just happened to notice..." Arthur began.  
  
"That both of you are wet. At the same time." Tao said, smirking.  
  
  
Serena stared at them in bewilderment. "Huh? What do you mean? We were just sweaty from training, and decided to take a bath, that's all."  
  
"Ah, yes, training." Tao said knowingly. "I guess nothing gets you worked up like that, doesn't it?"  
  
Serena was puzzled. What exactly was Tao talking about?  
  
Diane looked at them. "Oh, my! So early in the morning too? You animals, you," she said, blushing.  
  
Realization came to Serena at last, making her flush to the roots of her hair. "You're all sick!" she said, fuming. This got a general laugh.  
  
"Oh? You mean it's not true?" Diane said, her eyes twinkling.  
  
"NO!" Serena said, practically shouting.  
  
"Anyone who can deny it that strongly..." Tao said, trailing off.  
  
Serena scowled, and glanced over at Peregrin to see his reaction. To her surprise, he was looking quite as embarrassed as she was.  
  
Arthur got to work on him. "So. How was she?"  
  
"Arthur?" Peregrin said, pleasantly.  
  
"Yes?" Arthur said, grinning.  
  
"Do you remember that lesson I taught you a few weeks ago?" Peregrin said, in the same pleasant tone.  
  
"Uh....yes?" Arthur said, his high spirit beginning to falter.  
  
"You want a review?" Max said, putting a hand to the hilt of his sword. Arthur backed off instantly.  
  
Gort, who had been chewing on a muffin during all of this, sighed. "Kids these days..."  
  
*  
  
After finishing breakfast, and relaxing and chatting for a few hours, the time had come for the final match. Serena and the Shining Force members made their way across to the arena, and contrary to what had been previously stated by Lowe gave both competitors heartfelt wishes of luck. They likewise parted from Anri, who as Queen, had ceremonial duties to attend to. Now reduced, Serena and the rest began to make their way over to the stands.  
  
"So, what do you guys think? Mae, or Peregrin?" Lowe asked of the group in general.  
  
"Well, although Mae has nice hair, I certainly think Peregrin's better looking," said Tao, in a thoughtful voice.  
  
"Exactly the kind of answer I'd expect from a piece of fluff," said Lowe, mockingly. "But I think the rest of us know what I'm asking about."  
  
"I'll show you fluff," Tao mumbled... "Blaze you when you're not looking..."  
  
"Mae certainly has the advantage of strength and size," said Zylo. "Peregrin though is quick, very quick...and he's not exactly too shabby in the strength department either."  
  
"So, who do you pick?" Lowe said, impatiently.  
  
Zylo shrugged. "50/50 shot."  
  
They reached the stands, and threading their way through the crowd, reached their seats near the front.   
  
"Mae has the experience though," argued Arthur. "I've never heard of Peregrin before. Have you?"  
  
"True; but Peregrin isn't exactly green; he fights like an old hand," said Zylo.  
  
"Shut up! They're about to start!" Lowe said excitedly.  
  
Peregrin and Mae were currently in center of the ring. The announcer came out.  
  
"Ladies, gentleman, and various magical creatures," said the announcer, "It's time for the final of the Champion of Arms tournament!"  
  
An enthusiastic cheer went up.  
  
"On my left, we have the newcomer, Peregrin! On my right, the hometown hero, Mae!"  
  
Cheers went up for both fighters, with a noticeably louder cheer going up for Mae.  
  
"Alright Mae!" shouted Arthur.  
  
"Go Pippin!" squealed Diane.   
  
Lowe turned to look at her. "Pippin? Where'd you come up with THAT?"  
  
Diane shrugged. "I heard it from somewhere."  
  
"Fighters, shake hands!" Peregrin and Mae clasped hands in a friendly fashion, then went into combat stances.  
  
"Hey," Serena said suddenly. "Is that...Mae's usual stance?"  
  
Arthur looked closely. "No, it isn't," he agreed. Mae was holding an flat bladed lance in an opposite grip, like a dagger. Her other palm was resting on the top of the hilt, and the lance was pointed downwards, toward Peregrin's stomach. Peregrin was in his usual combat stance.  
  
"Begin!"  
  
The fighters circled each other. Mae trotting to her right, lance still pointed toward Peregrin. Peregrin held his sword up in a guard up, ready to fend off any blows.  
  
With a sudden quick step, Mae lashed out with a lightning-quick stab. Peregrin instantly dodged to the side, but didn't attempt a counter, as Mae had already brought her guard back up. They continued to circle.  
  
"Peregrin can read Mae's actions well," Zylo grunted. "If he can keep this up, there's no way Mae can win."  
  
The fighters were still circling, with Mae testing Peregrin's guard with cautious jabs at times, which were easily blocked by Peregrin. Mae then stepped forward, and lashed out again, in the same stabbing motion-  
  
"Pointless," thought Serena. "Peregrin can use his superior speed to dodge that every time. Mae knows that. So why..."  
  
Peregrin dodged; Mae, instead of retreating, immediately twisted her wrist, and swung her blade in a horizontal arc, hitting Peregrin directly in the ribs. He managed to twist with the attack, but it still knocked him into the ground. Mae lunged for a followup stab, but Peregrin transformed his fall into a tuck-and-roll, swiftly getting back up to his feet.  
  
"Smart move," said Ken, admiringly. "That stance allows for quicker attacks then from an one handed grip. As well, one twist of the wrist allows another quick slash in any direction. See, watch-"  
  
Mae brought her lance up, and stabbed toward Peregrin's chest. He ducked, and attempted to roll forward, but Mae with a twist of her wrist, brought the lance downwards, hitting him out of the roll.  
  
Serena was watching carefully. Mae's stance allowed for lightning-quick strikes, and flowing movement, which counteracted the advantage of Peregrin's speed. With her superior range, she could keep at this all day. Peregrin has to think fast...  
  
Peregrin slowly got up to his feet. He looked carefully at Mae's stance, then at his own. Slowly, he brought his left hand up, and grasped his sword in a two-handed grasp.  
  
"Ah, so that's his solution!" Luke said, interested.  
  
"What? I don't understand," said Serena. "How can a two-handed stance solve that problem?"  
  
"The reverse grip allows for an high offence, but has relatively weak defence," explained Luke. "The initial stab can be parried easily, as the attacker is sacrificing strength for quickness. If Peregrin can parry Mae's stab, she's wide open."  
  
"IF he can parry it," Luke commented. "That sword is balanced for an one handed grip. It's balanced for speed, not power. Also, you're forgetting how strong Mae is, in terms of weight. Does Peregrin have enough strength to parry her attack in a way to give himself an opening? And does he have enough speed, with that two-handed grip, to take advantage?"  
  
The fighters squared off. Peregrin stood stock still, sword up in a two handed grip, protecting his body. Mae cautiously crept toward him, and lashed out with the same attack she had been using so successfully-  
  
Peregrin immediately brought his sword up, cleanly parried Mae's blow to the side, and in an immediate riposte, brought his sword down in a wicked horizontal slash, striking Mae cleanly in the ribcage, and sending her to the ground. Everyone looked on, amazed.  
  
"Holy cow," Luke said.  
  
"Such speed...and strength..." Ken said, amazed. "Serena, is he like this all the time?"  
  
"No," Serena said, equally stunned. "He's never been this quick before."  
  
Mae slowly got to her feet, and shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs. She got up, and clutched her side, groaning. Peregrin didn't look in a lot better shape either. They squared off again.  
  
"This is it," said Arthur. "The last blow will probably finish this."  
  
Together, at once, they charged toward each other-  
  
At this point though, all hell broke loose.  
  
Serena suddenly felt a sudden twinge...a feel of...something dark. It felt like it was enveloping the whole stadium. "Something's wrong!" she blurted out.  
  
They looked at her, but never had time to answer. Simultaneously, people in the crowd got up, and began tossing about small balls, which erupted, covering the stands in a cloud of smoke. They started pulling hidden weapons out, and started attacking the guards nearest to them. The guards, caught off guard, went down quickly. Armed Skeletons, and Golems began flowing in from seemingly all directions, including the entrances to the arena.  
  
"We've got to stop them!" Luke yelled.  
  
"Oh no!" said Ken, wild-eyed. "Anri's down there."  
  
Earnest quickly took charge. "Diane, Serena, Tao, Luke, come with me. We'll protect Anri, Mae, and Peregrin. Balbaroy, fly to the castle and get reinforcements immediately. Lowe, tend to the injured. The rest of you, take out the attackers! Let's go, now!" Balbaroy immediately took flight, heading toward the castle. The rest of the Shining Force quickly scrambled.  
  
Peregrin and Mae, quickly realizing they were surrounded, were now making a stand with Anri, with her watchful guards covering her. They were standing back-to-back, Anri in the middle, with opponents charging from every direction.  
  
"Oh no," Serena thought. "Mae and Peregrin are still too injured from their fight. I've got to hurry!"  
  
Peregrin and the rest, though fatigued, was holding his own. Peregrin was fending off several attackers at once, dodging here, parrying there, just trying to stay alive. Anri was casting spells as quickly as she could, putting an dangerous drain on her magical aura. Bodies began to pile up around them, as they made their stand.  
  
At that point, Serena, in a sudden outburst of her Sight, saw something horribly wrong. Right behind Anri-  
  
"Look out!" Serena screamed. She, Earnest, and the rest had reached the edge of the crowd, and were quickly cutting a swath through the pack. But not quick enough.  
  
The skin of two of Anri's bodyguards began to melt away, revealing the sinister red eyes of two Master Mages. Lashing quickly to the side with their staffs, they took out the rest of Anri's guard out, and then raised their staffs to the sky, and quickly chanted.  
  
Beams of energy shot out, striking Mae, Peregrin, and Anri directly. They went down, muscles twitching. The two mages reached out, grabbed ahold of Peregrin and Anri, and there was a burst of light-  
  
One Skeleton rose up to finish Mae off-  
  
With a roar of fury, Serena fell upon the Skeleton. In one quick stroke, she hacked off the Skeleton's Arm. As it reeled, with one swift backstroke, she easily cut off the Skeleton's head. The Skeleton fell back, and collapsed in a pile of dust.  
  
As suddenly as it had started, it was over. There was nothing left but the Shining Force and Serena, covered in blood and grime, and the sound of reinforcements coming, too little, too late.  
  
Serena looked around. "Peregrin?" she called out. Anri?"  
  
Earnest shook his head. "They're not here. They're gone. But how?"  
  
Tao got up wearily, ignoring the blood splattering her robes. "That was an Egress spell. Wherever they are, they're probably not in the area now."  
  
Serena looked at Earnest pleadingly. "What do we do?"  
  
Earnest looked more tired then ever. "I don't know."  
  
  
  
  
  
Author's section type thing:  
  
I'm really sorry for the lack of frequent updates. First, I spent some time to write and upload the first chapter of my Seiken Densetsu 3 fic. Then, a two week Christmas holiday. That was followed by Final exams, and Big, Mark-Heavy Projects, which I had to actually work on, since this is my final year. Then, a few weeks writing, and rewriting this chapter, until the result is seen before you today. I'll try to update more frequently in the future, but I have the SD3 fic to work on, plus a new King of Fighters fic I'm also working on...but I'll try my best. T-T  
  
In any case...I've gotten a few e-mails from people asking me to hurry up on this whole writing thing. To remedy this, I'm thinking of just sending people an e-mail when I update, or a mailing list, per se. I doubt many people are interested, but if you are, please just send me an e-mail at strider_yoshi@yahoo.com, and I'll e-mail you as soon as I've updated. Comments can also be sent to the above e-mail address.  
  
Cheers! 


	18. A secret revealed

Chapter 18  
  
Anri slowly awoke out of the deep slumber she was in. Her bed was uncommonly hard, and firm; she would have to have a word with someone about keeping the mattresses in shape. As well, there was a lot less sunlight than was usual for this time. In fact, there was no sunlight at all, which was probably due to the rocky ceiling. Wait. The rocky ceiling?  
  
Anri snapped out of the haze she was in with a start, and immediately regretted it. It seemed as if every muscle in her body was stiff, and sore. No matter; Anri knew of a useful technique that would allow her, with an unorthodox use of ice magic, to loosen up the stiffness. She briefly concentrated, and frowned, when nothing happened. Maybe she was just tired. She tried again, to no avail.  
  
"It won't work, you know."  
  
Anri glanced up, trying to locate the speaker. She saw no one. She noted that she was currently lying in some sort of cell; the metal bars were an obvious sign. And to her right...  
  
"Peregrin," Anri said, frantically. He was lying there, unconscious. A livid bruise marked his right temple, and she thought she saw a few bumps on his head. She went over, and tried to shake him awake, when she noticed that her right wrist was encased in some sort of bracelet. "What is this?" she said out loud.  
  
"A simple preventative measure," said the unseen voice, in a offhand tone. "I'm quite aware of how dangerous you are as a mage; I'm just looking out for the interests of myself, and my people."  
  
"Oh, and don't worry about him," the voice continued. "An ion spell is certainly painful, but it's nowhere near lethal. Mr. Hero over there just happened to take the brunt of the blast. He'll be out of it for a while."  
  
Anri stood up, ignoring the pain. Now was not the time to show weakness. "Who are you? Why have you kidnapped us?"  
  
"I was just getting to that." With that, the speaker revealed himself, stepping out of the shadows. The speaker was a tall man, easily a good 30 centimeters taller than Anri. He had a lithe build, although the wiry muscles revealed by his sleeveless vest. A pair of sheer black pants, as well as a long coat, completed the outfit. The most disturbing aspect was his eyes; they seemed to be completely pupilless, and were jet black. That didn't seem to effect his vision in the slightest, as he continued to peer at Anri.  
  
"As for your question, my name is Aoshe. I've kidnapped you to fulfill my evil plan. Why else would I have?"  
  
Anri blinked. "You're a lot more straightforward than most villains I've met."  
  
"Please," Aoshe said, rolling his eyes in disgust. "I've never understood why WE have to be evil, while YOU have to be good. I just like to think of it as having different policies, and beliefs."  
  
Anri narrowed her eyes. "Such as what?"  
  
Aoshe shrugged. "Well, for one, my view that the strong thrive, while the weak die. Case in point; I'm strong, you're not. That's why I'm on the outside of this cage, and you're on the inside."  
  
"That's not a difference of opinion, that's just sick," Anri snarled.  
  
"Why?" asked Aoshe. "That philosophy has existed since the dawn of time. The predator stalks the prey. The strong animals survive, while the sick and old, die. Just because you might not like it doesn't mean it's not true."  
  
"Human lives can't be reduced to mere animals," countered Anri. "On an evolutionary level, we've risen above such savagery."  
  
Aoshe sighed. "Sorry, but although this debate is fascinating, I'm a little pressed for time right now. I have places to be, people to sacrifice. So, on that note..."  
  
Aoshe snapped his fingers. Out of the darkness, two figures appeared, grinning wickedly.  
  
"You two, carry him," he ordered, pointing to Peregrin. "Be gentle. Your Highness, I shall have the honour of escorting you. I hope you have the intelligence not to try anything foolish."  
  
Anri sighed. Right now, with Peregrin unconscious, and possibly injured, and her own ability cut off, there wasn't much she could do. She decided to wait, and see what the situation brought up. She got up, and walked ahead of a courteous Aoshe, who followed. Peregrin and his carriers brought up the rear.  
  
They walked through what seemed like an endless amount of tunnels. There were numerous forks, and passageways, and Aoshe, who did not seem to have any problems finding his direction, cheerfully directed her through one way or the other with ease. Although Anri tried to remember the path she had followed, it wasn't long before she became disoriented, and gave up on the idea completely. Strangely enough, the tunnels didn't look natural. If that wasn't the case, then...  
  
"Yes, I see you've figured it out, Aoshe said, in a lively voice. "These tunnels have been drilled out; it took extensive, back-breaking work. We lost quite a few workers during the years."  
  
Anri didn't pick up on a single note of regret in his voice. "Don't you feel anything at all for the death of those men?"  
  
Aoshe frowned, puzzled. "No, of course not. They were just grunts, that's all. An expendable resource, and something that's easily replaced. I imagine you have the same view toward your Guardiana Army."  
  
"No!" exclaimed Anri. "Each soldier that dies out there leaves a family behind. They are not 'expendable'."  
  
"Really," said Aoshe, raising an eyebrow. "I begin to wonder how you beat Darksol at all, with such philosophies as that."  
  
"We had a great man then," said Anri, her anger started to rise. "Someone who sacrificed himself to save the world. Someone who's worth a thousand of you."  
  
"Was?" Aoshe murmured. "Can you really not...well, never mind, we're almost there."  
  
Anri frowned. Aoshe's cryptic statements had obviously meant something, but what? Her musings were cut short when they appeared to arrive at their destination.  
  
"In any case, this has been around for quite some time. This was all built under Darksol's command actually; he put me in charge of this particular region. You'll see why soon."  
  
They emerged into a brightly lit area. Anri squinted, shielding her eyes.  
  
"Behold," Aoshe said, sweeping out his hand in a dramatic gesture, "my throne room, and the site of your demise!"  
  
Anri felt an cold fear began to gnaw at her. "So, you're going to kill me? I hope you get it done soon, then."  
  
Aoshe glanced at her. "Oh, no no no. I'm just practicing my evil villain speech. My advisors tell me that I simply don't seem evil enough. It's something I need to work on. How was it?"  
  
Anri shrugged. "Work on your delivery more. Then again, I've seen people like Darksol, and Kane in action, so maybe my standards are too high."  
  
"Thanks. In any case, what do you think of the place?"  
  
"Not bad." That was an understatement. Unlike the dark, damp tunnels she had just been in, this room was suitable enough to be located in Guardiana castle. The entire floor seemed to be made up of marble, with stone pillars stretching up from ceiling to floor. A lush, red carpet stretched from the doorway up towards a long flight of stairs, where a large, magnificent throne sat.  
  
"Nice, huh?" Aoshe said, pleased. "I put a lot of work into this room."  
  
Anri sighed, in dismay. "By the way, none of the previous villains I've run across were as chatty as you are. They could be somber, cocky, arrogant, but never sociable."  
  
"Really?" Aoshe said. "I'll try to remember that." He went over to the throne, and flopped down. Anri walked up the stairs, and stood directly opposite him.  
  
"Sit, sit." Aoshe said. He lazily waved his hand, and a chair, seemingly by itself, slid over to place itself directly under Anri.  
  
Anri stared at the chair in surprise. She had gotten the impression that Aoshe was just some kind of talkative idiot, but it appeared as if there was some muscle behind that cheery exterior. And, Anri noted uneasily, a powerful Sorceror, if the ease in which he had utilized telekinesis was any indication. She seated herself. The guards, who had been following them all this time, put Peregrin down gently beside Anri. She used this opportunity to examine Peregrin more closely. He appeared to be roughed up, but apparently, uninjured. His breathing patterns suggested that he was in a deep state of unconsciousness, as did his body posture when he was being carried around. In any case, his arms happened to be chained together at the back. She was alone on this one.  
  
"So," said Aoshe. "I'm going to tell you exactly what's about to happen."  
  
"Really?" said Anri. "Darksol would certainly have not told me about his plans in advance. But don't let that stop you," Anri added in hastily.  
  
"Yeah, but what does Darksol know? Sure, he was powerful and all, but he's still just as imprisoned as the rest of those Devils," Aoshe said, shrugging.  
  
"Devils? Imprisoned? Huh?" Anri asked.  
  
"Oh, you're not familiar with the term 'Devils'?" said Aoshe, surprised. "Never mind, it's not important. I'll get to Darksol in a sec."  
  
"Now, in your battle with Darksol, and Dark Dragon, you somehow managed to defeat them, and sealed them away for, what, another 1000 years?"  
  
Anri nodded. "Sealed, and weakened."  
  
"A pity. In any case, it doesn't matter. What we've found out is even better. Come with me. It's about time anyway."  
  
He gestured, and a section of the wall behind him slid out, then away, leaving a dark passage. The guards picked up Peregrin, and walked into the passageway, followed by Anri, and Aoshe.  
  
Anri gasped. The room reeked of magical powers. She could feel the huge concentration of energies in the room The centerpiece was the alter at the back of the room.  
  
"You feel it too, yes?" Aoshe murmured. "It seems that Darksol had this little chamber hidden away for a while. Which leads us to my plan."  
  
"My Master Mages have been doing some research," Aoshe said, pointing. Anri turned. Somehow, a company of armed guards had crept silently into the room, as well as a trio of Master Mages. "They think they've found a way to summon a gateway, by tapping into the mystical energies in this room.  
  
"A gateway?" Anri's stomach began to churn. This didn't sound good....  
  
"A gateway to the demon world, to be exact. In case you weren't aware, Devils cannot really be killed. Their spirits are just banished, until they can revive again into a physical form. Usually, this process can take a very long time, but we think we can speed the process up a bit."  
  
"However, these energies alone aren't enough. We need a catalyst. In other words, a blood sacrifice."  
  
Anri's heart began to pound furiously. "You can't be serious."  
  
"Oh, no, dead serious," Aoshe said. "Blood sacrifice is a tricky thing," he mused. "You're never quite sure just how much blood you need. We'll probably go for quantity over quality. Better safe than sorry."  
  
"So, this is why you had me brought here?" Anri asked. So this was it; she was going to die.  
  
Instead of the confirmation Anri was expecting, she received a look of surprise. "Oh, you think you're the sacrifice? I thought I'd explained that already. No, the person we were after, was really...him" Aoshe pointed. To Peregrin.  
  
Anri gasped. "What do you want with him? Leave him out of this!"  
  
"Sorry, no can do," Aoshe shrugged. "We can't just have a regular blood sacrifice. It has to be something special."  
  
"Then take me instead!" Anri pleaded. "He has nothing to do with this!"  
  
"Although you're very powerful, Queen Anri, even your energies released might not be sufficient enough. But in him...something extraordinary resides. The power to create the seal necessary when demon forces arise. The power that only resides in the legendary Hero, born in times of great need."  
  
"I'm afraid you have it all wrong..." Anri started. "You're thinking of Max. Max is dead. This is Peregrin."  
  
Aoshe started to quietly chuckle. He brought his hand up to his face, as if trying to contain his mirth, but it only deepened in tone and volume. Tilting his head back, the chuckle gave way to full-blown laughter. "You really don't see it, do you. To quote a famous line, 'Evil will always triumph, because Good is DUMB!"   
  
Aoshe stared at Anri in contempt. "Bah. I'm tired of this. Just so there aren't any question as to why this is necessary..." he gestured with one hand, and Peregrin's mask came off. Revealing a familiar pair of eyes...  
  
Anri felt time stop. It was Max. He was alive! But at the same time...it didn't feel like Max at all. As if this was only an amazingly accurate copy. Something still felt missing...but what did it matter! Max was alive! But...now he was going to die...  
  
"You can't!" Anri wailed. "Please..." she dropped to her knees in front of Aoshe, hands held out in supplication.  
  
Aoshe looked at her in pity. "I really am sorry. But it is necessary. There is no way around it. Now please, stand aside."  
  
"No! Please, have mercy!" Anri touched her eyes, and felt wetness. When had this started?  
  
Aoshe gestured, with a look of regret. "Remove her. Gently."  
  
Two guards took hold of Anri's arms, and carried her off. She resisted with all her might, still struggling to get back to Max. "No..."  
  
Aoshe sighed. "You two, he said, gesturing to two more of his guards. Carry the Hero to the alter."  
  
The two guards walked toward Max, picked him up, and set him down on the alter, lying on his back.  
  
Aoshe gestured to the three Master Mages. "Please. Begin."  
  
The Mages began to walk up to the alter.   
  
At this point, all hell broke loose.  
  
With startling speed, Max suddenly got up, and, in one quick flip, got back up to his feet, and off the alter. Turning toward the trio of Master Mages, he held up his bound hands, and something on them began to glow.   
  
At the same time, the White Ring on Anri's hand began to glow as well. She stared at it in disbelief. "What on earth..." She turned back to watch Max anxiously. He was still bound, weak, and weaponless. What did he hope to accomplish?  
  
Anri's question was soon answered. A green sphere of energy appeared directly overhead the Mages, and began lashing out with tendrils of deadly thunder. The Master Mages shook as the spell hit them, and dropped to the floor, unconscious.  
  
Anri was stunned. "That was the Evil Ring!" she thought. "But there's no way it's that powerful...perhaps it's all the energies present in this room."  
  
The guards nearest Max bellowed in fury. The closest one to Max lashed out. Max dove to the side avoiding the blow. The two guards began to converge on him.  
  
Max raised his hand again, and another green sphere of energy appeared, again lashing out with it's deadly magic. This time, however, Max was directly in the affected radius. Anri winced as Max took a direct blow, and dropped to one knee, his clothing singed, body trembling in pain.  
  
Anri looked at him in dismay, but then noticed that his hands were now unbound. "So, he took the hit on purpose, and let the energy break his bonds..." Her guards were distracted, their grip beginning to weaken as they watched in fascination. Anri decided that now was the time to act.  
  
Lashing out with one foot, she hit a guard directly in the knee cap, twisting it to the side. He screamed in pain, and released her, grasping his broken kneecap, thrashing with pain.  
  
Taking one of Gong's old tricks, she turned so that she was directly behind the guard. Grasping the arm that was holding her with her other arm, Anri dropped down, bent her back, and pulled. The guard flew over her, landing down on the ground with a thump. Now free, Anri began sprinting back to where Max was. On the way, she scooped up the dagger that had been dropped by the unconscious Mage.  
  
Anri heard Aoshe shouting out something, and heard guards moving toward her, but she ignored them. She took the dagger, and immediately began sawing away at the magical bracelet on her right hand. She winced in pain as the dagger cut into her flesh sharply, but her plan succeeded, and the bracelet came off.  
  
Turning around, Anri coolly faced the dozen or so guards coming her way. Anri gestured toward them, and her eyes flashed blue. At the same time, the guards in the lead became frozen solid. The guards right behind them ran into the frozen guards and fell down. The frozen guards began teetering over...  
  
Anri clutched her hand into a fist, and her eyes flashed again. The frozen guards exploded into thousands of tiny shards.  
  
And each shard was heading back towards the guards coming near her. It looked like someone had painted that spot of the ground red. Anri turned around, and sprinted back toward Max.  
  
  
The single remaining guard, bellowing in frustration at his inability to hit Max, swung his sword in a fierce overhead blow, which would have split Max in two. Max held up his palms, and in a clapping motion, caught the sword between them. Grasping the sword with both hands, ignoring the pain as it cut into his flesh, he drove the sword back toward the guard, hitting him in the throat with the hilt. The guard gasped as he felt his windpipe crushed, and fell back, trying to draw a breath. Max bent down, hands dripping with blood, and reached down to pick up the guard's sword.   
  
He never reached it. A large fireball slammed into Max, throwing him hard into the wall behind him. He slumped down to the ground, groaning in pain.  
  
"Max!" saild Anri, frightened. She finally reached him. From what Anri could see, the injuries were bad. He wasn't in great shape. She turned back, and paled.  
  
Aoshe was striding them confidently. In his wake, strode the rest of his guards. As well, the Master Mages had revived, and were approaching them.   
  
Anri turned toward them, prepared to go down fighting. She startled as she felt her upper arm being grabbed. She turned around to see Max, who had stood up, in obvious pain, holding his sword.  
  
Anri felt the tears start up again. She had finally seen Max, after so long. All hope had died so long ago, only to spring up again. And all for nothing. They were about to be slaughtered, and their deaths would open up the way for the world to be ripped apart.  
  
"Eg...eg..." Max whispered. It looked like he was struggling to say something. In a last gesture of friendship, Anri reached over, and held his hand gently.  
  
"Eg....Egress." With that word, Max slumped over in exhaustion. Anri felt the familiar swirls of energy, as her body became light. She felt herself being swept away. The last thing she heard was Aoshe, bellowing in rage...  
  
*****  
  
Anri felt the uncomfortable feeling of becoming solid again. Which meant that the egress spell had worked. She remembered Max, and looked at him frantically.  
  
Max was on the ground to her left, not moving. She anxiously dashed over toward him, turning him over onto his back. "Max! You're going to be ok. Just stay with me." She began checking him over, wondering what she could do about his injuries, and wishing that   
  
She saw Max look at her, and saw a faint smile play over his lips. "Well, we did it, didn't we," he whispered. "My task is finished."  
  
"Don't talk like that," Anri said fiercely. Blood was flowing from several nasty cuts. She took off her cloak, and tore several strips off of it. She began to bandage the wounds.  
  
Max laughed quietly, then began to cough, spitting out blood at the same time. "Forget about me. I'm finished."  
  
"I'm going nowhere without you," said Anri, quietly. She had finished bandaging the wounds. Now what?  
  
Max sighed. "I'm just glad... I could be of service to you...and now finally...rest."  
  
"Max, no!"  
  
"Goodbye...Anri..." Max's eyes closed, and his breathing began to rattle.  
  
"Max! Max!" Anri frantically shook him. She almost panicked as she searched for something she could do. Her hands trembled uncontrollably, and she clutched them together, trying to stop the shaking. It was at that point, that she saw it.  
  
"The White Ring!" Anri said. "Of course!" in desperation, she held the ring up high, and concentrated, summoning the magic stored within.   
  
A ball of pure white shot out, into the sky, and burst, showering down upon Max and Anri. Anri immediately began to feel calmer, and less weary. She looked down, and noticed that injuries she hadn't even noticed she had sustained until now were beginning to heal.  
  
Anri summoned the Aura spell again, and again. The brusies, and cuts on Max began to fade, and his breathing returned to a slow, yet normal, pace.  
  
Anri cast the spell until she felt the ring crack. She hastily put it away, fearful of breaking it beyond repair. She checked Max over again; he still wasn't in good shape, but at least he was out of the danger zone. Now, to take note of their situation. Anri looked around. First thing to note, was that it was nighttime. Second, they weren't in Guardiana. Although the Egress spell should have taken them there, it seems that the heavy magical energies, coupled with the haste Max used in casting the spell, as well as the fact he was injured, might have thrown things off a lot. Second, they were lying in some kind of road, with heavy forestry to the left and right of it. There didn't seem to be a town, or village in sight.   
  
Anri glanced up at the clear nighttime sky. By analyzing some of the constellations, she determined that they were at least in the same continent as Guardiana. As well, it would appear that they were somewhat South. Also, add in the fact that they were in a forested area, led Anri to believe that she was about 200 or so kilometers away, in Lylewood, just on the borders of Guardiana Kingdom.  
  
The first thing to do was get out of view of the open path. There could be spies of Aoshe out searching for them at this moment, as well as the simple fact that it was cold out there, and dark; they could find some shelter in the woods. Anri reached over, tried to pick up Max, and, under realizing that she couldn't possibly carry him a stone's throw, let alone into the woods, proceeded to drag him over there, inwardly apologizing.  
  
Anri dragged Max deeper into the woods; it was imperative that they get out of casual sight from the roads. Once she had determined that they were far enough in, and comfortably propping up Max against a tree, she set to work. Anri gathered up enough firewood to last throughout the night.   
  
After building a decent enough pile, she held out her hands, and concentrated, trying to summon up a basic blaze spell. Nothing happened, not even some sparks.  
  
"I'm all tapped out," Anri realized. "That battle took a greater toll then I thought."  
  
She set to work to start a fire the old fashioned way, with a pair of sticks, and a lot of work. Although she wasn't quite used to this sort of thing, she managed to get a fire going in a reasonable time. She stepped back to survey her handiwork, pleased with herself.  
  
"Now, as long as Aoshe, his minions, robbers, or a wild bear show up, we'll be fine." Anri thought.   
"Sigh...someone's going to have to keep watch tonight. Yes it's going to be me."  
  
She sat down beside Max, settling in for the long night ahead. However, she was a more tired than even she had realized. Within an hour, she was fast asleep.  
  
*****  
  
Anri slowly awoke out of the deep slumber she was in. Her bed was uncommonly hard, and firm; she would have to have a word with someone about keeping the mattresses in shape. Wait. Hadn't this happened before?  
  
Anri came out of her half-dreamy state with a start. Instead of the prison cell she was imagining, she saw that she was in a deep woods land. Over the fire she had built roasted a wild boar, which had been spitted And turning that spit-  
  
Max sat mechanically turning the spit, eyes lost in thought. Anri sat there watching him for a moment. His hairstyle had changed, and he seemed to have bulked up a bit more, though he had never been skinny. Somehow though, he seemed...diminished. Smaller.   
  
Max noticed that Anri was watching him. "Good morning," he said. Anri noted that he was averting his eyes when he spoke.  
  
"Good morning," Anri mechanically replied.  
  
"Lunch should be ready in a few minutes," Max said, carefully keeping his attention on the boar. "There's a river about a 10 minute walk away in that direction, if you want to get washed up."  
  
"I...think I'll do that. Thank you," Anri replied. Walking away from Max, who was still avoiding eye contact, she found the river that he had mentioned. She splashed water over her face, hands, and arms, feeling a lot better. Coming back to the campfire, she noticed that Max had taken the boar down, and was now slicing sections off of it, using the knife she had snatched from the Mage. His sword, as well has her staff, had been stored away somewhere by Aoshe.  
  
"Here," Max said, handing Anri a leg. "It's a bit hot."  
  
Anri took the leg, and built in. A little bit overcooked for her tastes, but at this point of time, she didn't really have much choice. Anri watched as he began to eat as well.  
  
She had a million questions she wanted to ask him. Where had he been all this time? How did he get out alive? Why hadn't he come back sooner? Why did he come back under a disguise? She didn't know where to begin. She had to say something though, damnit, this silence was getting awkward, but what....  
  
"How did you pretend to be unconscious?" Anri blurted out, immediately chastising herself for asking. Was that really important? Never the less, she continued, "I saw your breathing patterns. You were breathing like someone in a deep sleep. Your pulse slowed down as well."  
  
"Oh, that," Max said. "It's just an old trick that Lord Varios taught me. Useful for if you're in an unknown situation."  
  
"Oh," Anri said. It was silent again. She was angry at herself for letting the conversation come to a halt again. Why wasn't she feeling smooth, calm, in control? She had been trained for this sort of thing; this didn't bode well for the time when she had to open diplomatic relations with other countries. Maybe she should have spent less time practicing magic and more time-  
  
"You want to ask me questions," Max said. It was not a question, but a statement.  
  
"Well, yes," Anri said, embarrassed. "Um, well, if that's alright with you, but if you're not up to it, that's fine..."  
  
"Fire away," Max said. He didn't look angry, happy, annoyed...just. complacent Apathetic. Uncaring. Everything the old Max wasn't.  
  
"First off," Anri said, "where have you been all this time? How did you get out alive?"  
  
Max told her the story of how he had come to live with the Draco family, and the circumstances that had eventually led to the defeat of Adom's mercenaries.  
  
"OK...but why Max? Why didn't you come back to see me...I mean us? Your death...affected us greatly."  
  
Max looked as if he were struggling to find a way to express himself. Finally, he opened his mouth.  
  
"I've killed so many people, Anri. I've cut down hundreds in the name of justice, with the intent of bringing peace to this land. Everyone who rose up against me, I murdered without a thought. And for what? I didn't even manage to destroy Dark Dragon. I failed to protect Lord Varios for being murdered. I let countless die at Guardiana. I couldn't stop Kane from being killed, trying to save me."  
  
"Max, those weren't your fault," Anri said gently.  
  
Max continued on as if he had never heard her. "I'm just...nothing. All I know is how to kill."  
  
"That's not true," Anri whispered.  
  
"I'm tired of it all. Tired of the nightmares that haunt me as I sleep. Tired of feeling blood on my hands, knowing it'll never come off. You've noticed it, haven't you? When I came back to Guardiana, I disguised myself with clothing, and a mask, but that wasn't what prevented you from recognizing me."  
  
"No," Anri said, the pieces falling into place. It wasn't the hairstyle, or the clothing, or the mask. It had been the fire, the motivation, the desire that had driven him. The Max she had known had been a figure larger than life, leader of the Shining Force, one of the greatest warriors ever, bringing peace to the land, with determination and nerves of steel. The Max sitting across from her...was just a tired young man, with eyes older than his physical age.  
  
"Max...then why did you come back in disguise? Why bother coming back at all?" Anri said.  
  
Max turned away. "I...just wanted to enter the tournament. That's all." It was an obvious lie, and they both knew it.  
  
"So," thought Anri, "there's still hope for him yet. He just couldn't bear the thought of not knowing what had happened to us...Max, you might feel that you're dead already, but I'll do everything I can to bring you back to the side of the living. I swear it."   
  
Max looked up suddenly. "We'd better get moving," he said. "Judging from the position of that river, as well as the forested area, I think that we're in Lylewood. We have a long trip ahead of us."  
  
"That's my thought also," said Anri. "Do we travel by the road, or do we cut across country?"  
  
Max appeared to ponder the question, but slowly shook his head. "No. I'm not too familiar with this territory, and I've never been a good tracker. Too easy to get lost. It'll also slow us down to go through these woods. Let's take the road, but we must be cautious. Aoshe's men could be looking out for us, and he's somehow found a way to disguise his troops." He got up, and started to make his way back toward the road.  
  
Anri noticed that he was limping a bit. "Something wrong with the leg?"  
  
"I think I broke my leg in my fall," said Max. "The Aura spell helped, but it's still not at 100%. I'm good to go though."  
  
*****  
  
They walked on mostly in silence. Anri tried to open up a conversation with some small talk, but Max would simply reply to the statement, and continue walking. Anri soon gave up.  
  
Contrary to Max's claims, it seemed like he was suffering a lot of pain. The leg looked like it wouldn't support a lot of weight at all. Max had tried to compensate by hacking off a branch off a tree to use as a walking stick, but their progress was still slow.  
  
On the second day of their travel, in the morning, Max stopped suddenly. "Wait."  
  
"What?" Anri asked.  
  
"Something's approaching. From behind us. Quick, off to the side of the road." They hastily scrambled over to the side, where they could hide behind the thick undergrowth. They watched carefully.  
  
"Looks like...a wagon," Anri said. "Could it be a trap?"  
  
"With only one man? Unlikely."  
  
"Hmm. That gives me an idea. Quick, back on the road." They walked back onto the road, just as the wagon approached.   
  
The man, seeing them, slowed down to a stop beside them. "Hello, fellow travelers."  
  
"Hi!" said Anri, perkily. She gave him a bright smile.  
  
"What are you two doing out here, alone?" the man asked. Abruptly, he began to laugh. "Ah, never mind. Young couple, eh?"  
  
Max began to sputter out a protest, but stopped in shock when he felt one slender arm go around his waist. "Wh..Wh..."  
  
"Why, of course!." Anri said, smiling. "A bunch of fools, madly in love!"   
  
The man laughed in amusement. "Say, where are you two headed?"  
  
"We're heading off to Guardiana, for our honeymoon," Anri said. She poked Max in the ribs.  
  
"Why uh, yeah..." Max said. "It's um...a nice place, I've heard."  
  
The man nodded. "A beautiful country. Say, I'm headed around that area myself. How would you two like a lift?"  
  
"That would be great, sir! Thank you!" Anri said, happily.  
  
"No problem. Just hop on back," the man said, gesturing toward the wagon. "By the way, my name's Valin."  
  
Max and Anri scrambed onto the back, and the man set the wagon in motion again.  
  
Max turned to Anri. "Why did we have to...um...you know."  
  
"To avoid suspicion," Anri whispered back. "For all we know, there's been a reward put on our heads. We have to remain inconspicuous. Besides, your leg isn't going to hold up for that long of a journey."  
  
"But did we really have to pretend to be a couple?" Max complained.  
  
"Why? You have a problem with it?" Anri asked.  
  
Max blushed. "No, no..."  
  
Anri smiled when Max wasn't looking. "That's more of the Max I want to see..."  
  
*****  
  
They made it to the outskirts of the town without incident. At this point, Anri asked to be let off, and the man obliged.  
  
"Thanks a lot," said Anri.  
  
"No thanks necessary. I hope you kids have a fun time," Valin said, winking.  
  
"Oh we will," grinned Anri. "Here," she said, handing him a card.  
  
"What's this?" Valin asked.  
  
"My form of thanks. When you get to any hotel, restaurant, or tavern in Guardiana, show them this. You'll be taken care of.  
  
Valin frowned. "All right. Thank you..." he drove off, staring at the card.  
  
"What was that?" Max asked.  
  
"The royal symbol," said Anri. "Free food, drinks, and accommodation, in Guardiana."  
  
"Does Lowe and the rest have one of those cards?"  
  
"You kidding? They'd bankrupt the kingdom in no time."  
  
Max burst out laughing, and for a few moments, Anri could see the old Max again. The laughter quickly turned into a somber mood.  
  
"We're going to have to work our away around," said Max. "We can't trust anyone in there, even the guards. We can disguise ourselves using cloaks to get into town, but I don't know about how to get into the castle."  
  
"Oh, leave that to me," Anri said, smugly.  
  
The two snuck into town, using some cloaks they had "borrowed." (Anri insisted on leaving some money behind as compensation). They reached the castle entrance, only to find it barred.  
  
"Sorry," the guards said. "We're not admitting anyone at the moment. Come back in a few days."  
  
Anri would have been able to gain entrance by revealing her identity, but there was no telling where Aoshe's spies lurked. Wearily, she and Max walked away.  
  
"So, now what?" Max asked.  
  
"I get us in, that's what," Anri said determinedly . "This way."  
  
Anri led Max back to town, and cut through it so that they were eventually down an alley, that led directly to the West wall of the castle.  
  
"OK..." said Max. "Now what?"  
  
"Now you prepare to be amazed," said Anri. She went up to the stone wall, and touched a specific sequence of stones. With a low rumble, the wall slid in, revealing a stairway leading downwards. Anri grinned at Max's look of surprise.  
  
"Just one of the many secrets in Guardiana castle," said Anri. "One day, I'll show you the other 99."  
  
Anri led the way confidently, working her way through the many twists and turns that was the secret underground passageways of Guardiana castle. Several times, she opened a tapestry to reveal a passage, or open a disguised door to show a hidden stairway.  
  
They began to travel up by a spiral staircase. "This leads straight to the main conference room," Anri explained. From there, I should be able to find someone we can trust easily."  
  
"Good, because my leg is killing me from all this walking," Max grumbled. "Do the passageways really have to go that deep?"  
  
"Don't complain, dearest," said Anri, mockingly.  
  
They reached the end of the staircase. Anri held up an hand, a signal for silence. She listened carefully.  
  
"...so, they don't appear to be anywhere 5 kilometeres north of here?"  
  
"No, that's how far Nova and I, together could search from here. Nothing."  
  
"Damn. Balbaroy, Zylo, could you two pick up any signs?"  
  
"Some faint traces of someone in the woods. I couldn't pick up a scent.  
  
"I've heard descriptions of someone who matches Anri's appearance. I'm having someone look into that."  
  
Anri smiled. "Good to know they care." She glanced back at Max, who had a hesitant look on his face. "Are you alright? Can you do this?"  
  
Max slowly nodded. "I figure it's about time. Let's go."  
  
*****  
Serena held herself up wearily. The search had been fairly fruitless; they were no closer to finding Anri or Peregrin then they had 5 days ago. She was exhausted from channeling all her energies into the Sight. It's demand left a toll on her.  
  
Mae, who was leading the meeting, shook her head. "I know we're all tired, people. Let's try to get some rest. Maybe things will get better in-" she froze, as directly behind her, a portion of the wall began to move out.  
  
From out of that wall stepped Anri, looking messy, but otherwise, ok.  
  
"Anri!" Serena squealed happily. Anri moved into the room, grinning broadly, as the rest of the Shining Force members began rushing over to her in joy. Then another, familiar figure stepped out behind her.  
  
"Peregrin!" Serena shrieked in joy. She rushed over, hugging him around the midsection. She felt bruises and bumps under her grasp, as he gave an uncharacteristic groan of pain.  
  
"You're hurt," Serena gasped. She turned toward Lowe. "Lowe, can you help..." she trailed off as she saw the expression on Lowe's face. It was one of wonder.  
  
The room had gone deathly silent. Everyone was watching Peregrin, most in disbelief. Serena couldn't understand. What was the problem? Then she heard a solitary whisper break the silence.  
  
"Max..."  
  
*****  
  
Note from the author: Oh man. Long, long time between updates this time. I really have no excuse, besides schoolwork, midterms, and all that. Mostly, I was just plain lazy. I've been playing too much video games these days.  
  
I've got a new e-mail address! Please send all e-mails to strider_yoshi@tekken.cc, from now on. That way, at least I can delete the flames quickly. =) As well, if you want an update as to when this fic is um...updated, I'll send you an e-mail, pronto.  
  
I'm looking for people who might be willing to proofread, or edit. You'll be able to view my works-in-progress as soon as I've done them, I would really appreciate it if you can. Also, I'd be willing to edit/proofread anyone else's fics, if they want. Just send it to the aforementioned e-mail address.  
  
Jeez, I'm not sure where to go from here. Probably some inner reflection by Max, an final climactic battle, and that's that. I'm going to leave the ending open, in case I do a sequel in the new future, which will suck even more, since I don't have a clear idea of where to go with the plot. Ah well, them's the breaks.  
  
Cheers! 


	19. Dreams, and remembrances

Chapter 19  
  
"It's time to wake up, hero." Although the context was soothing, the inflection on the words was harsh, sarcastic, meant to pain.  
  
Max opened his eyes. He wished he hadn't. Everything around him was totally black, with no features to distinguish it in any way. From what he saw, he didn't appear to be standing on solid ground at all, instead just floating in this realm of nothingness. He was attired in his usual travelling clothes, complete with sword. There, standing a few meters in front of him, was a vaguely familiar figure. While the top half of his body appeared to be human, the rest, instead of continuing down into a pair of legs, appeared to be shaped like a horse. Max ignored this, and continued to stare at the man's face, trying to match it…  
  
Max abruptly got it, and stared, in shock. "No. This can't be. You're dead…"  
  
"Oh yes, I'm dead," Varios said, smiling, but not in a friendly way. At first glance, it appeared to be the Varios that Max had known, and respected, except for the fact that a long, bloody cut ran across his body, from left shoulder to waist. Max stared at the wound, and Varios noticed.  
  
"Yes, Kane's sword went here," Varios said, gesturing to his shoulder, "and ran to here. Very painful. Very deadly. Oh, and very preventable. How does it feel knowing that you repaid me with death for all the attention I gave to you?"  
  
"That isn't true," Max said in denial, shaking his head. "I tried to stop Kane."   
  
"I suppose you didn't try very hard," a new voice said, in contempt.   
  
Max glanced at the intrusion, and began to shiver. "No…"  
  
"Oh, yes," Kane said, with contempt. Kane appeared just as he had before, with the exception of some severe signs of burns across his entire body. "You couldn't do anything to help me, either. I died because of your incompetence."  
  
"I couldn't do anything in time…" Max whispered, shaken.  
  
"So, Max," Kane said casually. "Why is it that everyone who associates with you ends up dead? Varios here was like a father to you, and look how he turned out. I try to save you, and I end up face up in some coffin somewhere as well. So who's next, hmm?"  
  
"Shut up," said Max, grimacing. "You're not real. You can't be, you're both dead."  
  
"We all know why that is," Kane said, grinning. I'm guessing we'll be joined in the afterlife soon? Maybe that lovely Anri? Or young Serena? Perhaps Lowe, or Mae? It's bound to happen.   
  
"No. Shut up, shut up, shut up. I won't let it happen, not again," Max said, angrily.  
  
"Face it Max…you're like the avatar of Death himself," Kane said, smirking. "Everything around you expires, whether it's friends, or just soldiers on the other side. You're a killer, Max, and you know it."   
  
"NO!" Max shouted. He drew his sword, and charged toward Kane. Kane laughed mockingly, and rose to meet him…  
  
*  
  
Max opened his eyes. He wished he hadn't. Everything around him was totally black, with no features to distinguish it in any way.  
  
"Am I dead?" Max asked. He shifted around, and found that he was lying in something soft, and comfortable. He hesitantly reached down, and touched the ground. It was springy to the touch.  
  
"Strange," thought Max. "This isn't what I imagined it would be like. Though, of course, it's not like I've heard otherwise."  
  
Max tilted his head down, and around. The same darkness was still there.  
  
"Shouldn't I at least be able to see my own body? Unless…"  
  
Max reached up to his eyes, and felt. There seemed to be something tied to his head, covering his eyes. He removed the obstruction, and brilliant sunlight flooded his sight. Max blinked, adjusting to the rapid change, and looked around.  
  
Max saw what seemed to be a comfortable suite. He was currently lying in a four-poster bed, in a corner of the room. Sunlight flooded in through the large window, and Max looked outside, spotting the crystal-clear view of the lake…Lake Guardiana…  
  
Max's grogginess vanished in a snap, as his memories came back to him. His and Anri's escape from the mad ritual planned by Aoshe…their desperate journey back to Guardiana…their secret intrusion of the castle…  
  
Max frowned. He remembered seeing the shock on everyone's faces as he had come into view, but he couldn't remember anything after that. He was still in Guardiana in any case; the sight of the lake proved it. So what was his next step going to be?  
  
Max pondered his future, and the more he thought about it, the more his heart sank. He recalled his dream, nightmare, premonition, whatever, a few minutes ago. Kane was right; everything around him tended to perish, as if he were projecting an aura of death. Not even by Max's own hand, either. He couldn't stay. He needed to leave, to help save the friends he cared about.  
  
"That's not all, is it?" a voice said inside of him. "You're just running away, aren't you?"  
  
"Shut up, voice," thought Max. "I don't need this right now." He stealthily opened the door and glanced out. No one in sight. Judging from what he remembered of the architecture, the west Wall of the castle would be in that direction. If he climbed out a window in the room opposite of him, he should be able to creep along the edge, making sure to keep out of the sight if guards, and be out of here before anyone knew it.  
  
Max glanced over at the door across the hall, and listened at the doorway. No sounds within. He opened the door a crack, and seeing no one, slipped inside. He made his way over to the window in the room, and opened it. Max glanced outside, and saw no one there. Climbing to the edge, he braced himself, and jumped the three-meter distance to the ground below, and landed in a crouch.  
  
"Why, look what dropped out of the sky," a voice said behind him.  
  
Max spun around, and saw Lowe cheerfully waving to him, framed by a window. Max thought back to his stealth training. What would the procedure be if discovered?  
  
"Silence me before I can give off an alarm," Lowe answered his silent question. "Or make sure you're not captured by the enemy…alive. I was in the same class as you, so I know all this spy stuff too. Seeing as you haven't spilled your own guts on the floor yet, I presume you have chosen not to take the second option. Also, you can't silence me. I'm your dearest, bestest buddy in the whole word. You could never take me, anyway."  
  
"As if," Max snorted. "It seems like you've eliminated all my options. Whatever am I to do?"  
  
"I present you with an alternative choice," Lowe said, smiling.  
  
"Which is?" Max said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"You climb in here, and have a cup of coffee with me," Lowe said, pointing to the pot he was holding. "We'll have a little chat while we're at it."  
  
Max rolled his eyes. Unfortunately, Lowe was correct; there really were no options left to him at this point. He climbed in through the window.  
  
"Incidentally," said Lowe casually, "I'll have to teach you about using these magical devices. They're called doors, and stairs. You'll get the hang of it one day, I'm sure." He poured some coffee into a cup, and handed it to Max.  
  
Max took a sip. Black and piping hot, just the way both he and Lowe liked it. He made an appreciative sound. "Nice. By the way, how'd you know I was going to come down from that particular window?"  
  
"I didn't," Lowe said, straight faced. "The rest of the windows are also being watched. As well, we've hid every cloak, guard uniform, and dress we could find, so you couldn't just disguise yourself and walk out of here."  
  
Max smirked. "Why didn't you just throw attach an iron ball to my leg while you were at it?"  
  
"We didn't have your size."  
  
"Nice to know I'm so unique," Max said, shrugging. "How did I wind up in that bed, anyway? Last thing I remembered, I had just walked into that conference room with Anr…I mean, Queen Anri."  
  
Lowe took a sip from his cup, and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, after the rest of us were trying to get over your apparent resurrection, you just simply keeled over, and collapsed on the floor. No convulsions, gasping, drawn-out speeches…you just fell flat on your face. No sense of theatrics, obviously."  
  
Max blinked. "I collapsed? Why?"  
  
Lowe laughed. "Max, you seemed to have lost several liters of blood. I'm surprised you made it this far, alive and conscious, at that. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be any long-term effects. No brain damage, not to the parts you use anyway. Perhaps the majority portion.   
  
"It looked pretty bad at first, but I guess you're used to taking your knocks by now, hmm? You had the best of medical care and attention during your recovery anyway. Serena and Anri were in here almost day and night. Quite worried about you. They couldn't even lure Anri back to those committee meetings she loves so.  
  
Max didn't even bother to respond to the banter; he sat back in his chair, deep in reflection. Lowe looked at him thoughtfully. "Now that I've satisfied your curiosity about things, perhaps you'd do me the courtesy of answering some of my questions?"  
  
Max looked up. "Like what?"  
  
"A very simple question, I assure you: Why?"  
Max looked at Lowe blankly. "Why what?"   
  
"Why were you sneaking off? Why were you just about to sneak off, and vanish again? Why were you just about to abandon us again, a second time? Break our hearts again? Huh?" Lowe's voice was filled with anger. Max had never seen the good-humoured, wise cracking Lowe like this.  
  
Max stared at the ground, mulling his answer over. He looked up. "So many have been hurt, around me, Lowe. I've killed hundreds in battle-"  
  
"Monsters, demons," Lowe said, in dismissal.  
  
"Some, yes. But some were just soldiers fighting for their hometowns. Or just doing their job, like General Elliot. It's not only the deaths I've caused…It's the deaths I've let happen."  
  
"You mean Lord Varios?" said Lowe. He looked at Max sympathetically.  
  
"Varios…Kane. I almost had a whole village slaughtered as well, you know that?"  
  
"Serena told us about that. How you saved her, and her friend. There was nothing in that; it was the right thing to do."  
  
"Yes, I know. The thing is though…for some reason, I, don't know, I feel like I attract evil and death in some way."  
  
"That's ridiculous."  
  
"No, listen. I grew up with Varios, I loved him as a father…then he dies, in a death I couldn't prevent. I help turn Kane from his brainwashing, and he dies, to save my life. A village is almost slaughtered because of my blood-letting…and I had a whole bunch of people hurt, and Queen Anri kidnapped, just to get at me. By the way, how many casualties at the Stadium? When I was kidnapped?"  
  
"Several dozen," Lowe said grimly. "A few children as well. Khris and I did our part, but we couldn't get to everyone in time. Our side tried to be careful in our actions, but the enemy had no such restraints. This Aoshe has a lot to answer for."  
  
"You see? Everywhere I go, people get hurt. Mostly because of me…if I stay here any longer, I'm just going to bring danger to everyone. I have to leave." Max said this final   
part decisively, and stood up.  
  
Lowe watched him. "What are you going to do in the future?"  
  
"I don't know…I can't remain around people. I'll just bring pain wherever I go. Maybe I'll just wander for a bit, or perhaps set out, and explore the unknown…good-bye, Lowe.   
  
"Max, you're my best friend and all, but I hope you'll understand when I say that you're being a blazing idiot."  
  
"What?" Max looked up in surprise. Lowe's eyes were burning angrily.  
  
"Shut up, sit down, and listen," Lowe said, gesturing. Max slowly resumed his seat.  
"I'm your friend, right?" Lowe asked.  
  
"Of course," Max said, puzzled.  
  
"I'm going to ask you to believe something I tell you, as a friend, which I hope you can accept," Lowe said.  
  
"Which is what?"  
  
"I want you to believe, that you are wrong."  
  
"No."  
  
Lowe's face set itself in a hard line. "Then you don't treat me as a friend. You don't believe that my opinion has any value."  
  
"Sure I do. I just know myself better, that's all."  
  
Lowe shook his head. "Right now, you know yourself as a shamed person with blood on his hands. You have a twisted view of your own self-worth. Now, I just want you to listen. As leader of the Shining Force, you saved thousands of lives-"  
  
Max shook his head, "No, I took thousands of lives…"  
  
"Shut up, and listen. Max, by doing what you did, you saved thousands of lives, heck, you saved the world! Without you, this world would have been ground to dust under Dark Dragon's little pinky. Without you, we were all dead. Me. Anri. Serena. Mae. Everyone. If you had to protect your family by killing a robber, you would do that, wouldn't you? It's the exact same thing."  
  
Max shook his head, but continued to listen.  
  
"Another thing. This ridiculous idea of you hurting us with your presence. Don't you realize that if you leave like this, you're killing us, as well?"  
  
"WHAT?" Max looked up, his eyes challenging Lowe angrily.  
  
Lowe met his gaze unflinchingly. "Do you have any idea how we felt when you vanished with the Castle? Do you? It was like being torn in two. Anri was inconsolable for months. Mae was in shock, and you know what it takes to ruffle Mae. After you vanished, Serena was worried sick. She exhausted herself day after day searching for you, wearing out her mental reserves. Now we find out you're alive, just so you can leave and stab us in the heart again?"  
  
Max couldn't meet Lowe's gaze; his eyes were full of anger, and accusation. He looked at the ground, at his cup, anywhere but Lowe's scrutiny.  
  
"One last thing," Lowe said with contempt. "Varios raised you like a son, and died for you. Kane traded his life for yours, as well, repaying his debt. It seems a poor way to acknowledge their sacrifice like this…they didn't die for you to run away." Lowe got up, and left the room.  
  
Max covered his face with his hand. He felt his eyes, burning and placed his hand to them. He felt tears under them.  
  
*  
  
Lowe closed the door, and began a brisk walk, not particularly caring about the direction. His eyes were brimming with tears. That had been the hardest thing he had ever done in his life; a live war zone seemed like nothing compared like this. But it had to be said. Someone had to get Max to forgive himself, and start to live again. He wouldn't let Max disappear from his life a second time.  
  
*  
  
Serena lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. She was hungry, having not eaten anything the entire day, but at the moment, she was thinking about more important things than fulfilling her appetite.  
  
"If there really is a Goddess," Serena mused, "then she must have a perverse sense of humour."  
  
As had been the trend over the last few days, she thought about Pereg…Max; she had to think of him as Max from now on. Not as her close friend, but as the legendary, all-powerful hero.  
  
Serena had paid attention to stories of Max. More than anything, she had paid attention to him. She heard about his orphan upbringing, and the death of the one who was the closest he had to a father. She listened to tales of his exploits, leading a band of heroes to liberate the world from evil. Finally, she had cried as she heard about his noble self-sacrifice, the only way to make sure of the safety of humanity. In her mind, Max was the most heroic, brave, and worthy person in the world, the greatest person ever. Everyone she had met afterwards had seemed pale, weak in comparison. Who could ever measure up in her mind to this great hero?  
  
That had changed when she had met Peregrin. At first, from his tired manners, and his reluctance to bear arms, she had thought him weak, cowardly. Then he saved her life, Ginny's life, from a horrible end…and from there, she started discovering more things about him. His quiet nobility and bravery. The horror he had at taking a life, even as he wielded his sword with deadly grace. The distant pain she could see in his eyes, eyes that had seen things that no one as young as he had should have seen. The secrecy he used to hide his own shame and self-disgust. All these qualities had made Peregrin, in Serena's mind, a hero like Max, but in a different way.  
  
How ironic that the heroic figure that she had admired and honoured, and the man that she had grown to love, were one and the same. Finally, now, she could understand the self-loathing he felt for himself, his shame and desire for privacy. Now, everything came together in her mind about the person that was Max, and Peregrin, and she loved him even more for it.  
  
Serena rolled over onto her stomach, and groaned. She was getting way too sentimental for her own liking, and cursed her silliness. She got up, and headed outside. She intended to check on Max's condition again, then maybe head out and get something to eat. Now that she realized it, she was starved, and it was noon already.  
  
Serena opened herself up to the Sight. Her progress had become outstanding over the last few weeks. She could now pick out the individual movements of any person in range of the city. She could almost instantly locate any person she wanted to, within seconds. She took this time to look for Max…and frowned. She couldn't detect his unique signature anywhere. Wait…what if he was gone? What if he had somehow been kidnapped again? She had to do something fast!  
  
Serena charged over to the nearest quarters, intending to seek help, which happened to be Lowe's. She barged in quickly. "Lowe, come quick! Max is…" Serena stuttered to a halt. There, sitting in a chair, with a cold cup of coffee in front of him, was Max. He was staring at her in surprise.  
  
"Jeez, Serena!" said Max. "Shock the rest of my life out of me, will ya?"  
  
"Oh, um, sorry," Serena mumbled. She hadn't expected to see him this soon, and all the carefully phrased things she had wanted to say to him, were suddenly vanishing into thin air. "My apologies, Pe, uh, sir." She bowed her head, and turned to leave the room.  
  
Max reached out a hand, and stopped her. "Please, sit down, Serena. It'd be nice to brood with a little company." Max managed a faint smile.  
  
Serena sat down in the other chair in the room, avoiding his eyes. "Yes, sir."  
  
"You know, you've never called me sir, in my life," Max said, smiling. "Have you forgotten my name already?"  
  
Serena looked up. "Perhaps it's a matter of just not knowing what to call you."  
  
Max's face fell. "I suppose you're angry with me for lying to you…"  
  
Serena was annoyed with herself. She had wanted to comfort Max, not to further drive him to despair. She held up a hand. "No, Max, that's not it at all. In fact, I'm not angry with you whatsoever. I'm very…relieved that you're safe and sound. I just find it strange calling you Max after all this time."  
  
Max smiled. "I'm glad. I suppose I can understand the strangeness."  
  
Serena smiled as well. "I suppose I feel kind of ridiculous right now. I remember when we first met, and how I had brought Max up…I wonder how you felt then?"  
  
Max grinned. "Faintly amused." "Listen, Serena," Max said, his face growing serious. "About what I did, about why I acted as I did, well…"  
  
Serena held up a hand to stop him. "Stop. It's alright. I understand. You don't have to explain a thing."  
  
Max looked at her in relief. "So, you forgive me?"  
  
Serena grinned. "There's nothing to forgive. I wonder how I'm going to explain this to my parents though, and everyone back home."  
  
Max laughed as well, remembering the past. Serena coughed, gently. "I'm really starving right now, haven't eaten at all today. Perhaps you would like to join me?"  
  
Max shook his head. "Not right now, thanks. No appetite at all, right now. But go ahead, get something to eat, you look famished."  
  
Serena stood up, and turned as if to leave, but then hesitated. She turned back towards Max. "One question, though," she said, puzzled. "How was I unable to detect you with The Sight?"  
  
"Ah, yes," Max said. "Perhaps you're unaware that I also have a particular talent in that area as well?"  
  
"WHAT?" Serena said, surprised beyond belief. "You never said anything about this before."  
  
Max shrugged. "Nova and I decided it was best that way, allowing me to secretly monitor your progress. You have been doing superbly, by the way. You've been learning at a tremendous pace, faster than when I was studying."  
  
"Thanks," said Serena. "That still doesn't explain how you could hide from me."  
  
"Well, with The Sight, one has the ability to modify one's aura, or signature, to suit whatever need will arise. I can make myself seem as bright as the sun to a person also blessed with the gift, or invisible. It's something you learn in the final years of training. This, along with Egress, is probably the most useful things you'll ever learn."  
  
"Egress?" Serena said, confused. "What's that?"  
  
"You'll find out later," Max said, smiling.  
  
"You're no fun," said Serena, pouting.  
  
"Max, the legendary Hero doesn't have fun," Max said, smiling. "He's fully dedicated to the Art of War. He also lives on human flesh, and takes his opponent's heads as trophies. All the stories say so."   
  
Serena smiled, and turned to leave.  
  
"One more thing, Serena," Max said.  
  
Serena turned around.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Serena smiled, and left, with a lighter heart than she had entered with. She started to make a way to a restaurant she had grown fond of in her stay here…  
  
*  
  
Aoshe took a look around Guardiana, and decided that he really didn't enjoy the urban feel at all. It felt too constricted, too crowded. Nothing at all like the dark, mysterious underground he had grown up in, with its endless tunnels of beauty. There, one could wander for hours in the tunnels without meeting another soul. Here, one couldn't take one bold step forward without bumping into someone.  
  
Aoshe was dressed in normal, civilian clothing, normal for life in Guardiana, abandoning his usual outfit. The clothes felt strange, and loose on his body, and oddly comfortable. These clothes wouldn't last a minute in battle, however; where was the thick padding, to limit the cut of a sword sliding into your body? Where was the rough, durable, and fire-resistant material, to prevent your catching on fire from a wide-area Blaze spell? These clothes were designed with creature comforts in mind, which felt peculiar to Aoshe, who had lived his whole life with few, if any, comforts. They did feel nice, though. Mishaela, however, would scorn him for appreciating such a trivial thing.  
  
Mishaela…Aoshe really did miss her. Twelve years ago, his village, along with everyone in it, had become a battleground in one of Runefaust's early grabs for conquest. Many of the villagers managed to flee the area in time, but there had been some left behind, like Aoshe. An orphan, Aoshe had no one that had particularly cared for his welfare, so he was quickly forgotten in the panic. In the ensuing battle, Aoshe's home village had been utterly razed to the ground, and the survivors were quickly rounded up, and carted off for "indoctrination," or sent to camps to become "volunteer labour." A five-year old Aoshe had been one of the children rounded up. Most of the children had perished, too weak to survive the long journey, but Aoshe alone had survived. Aoshe could still remember that fateful day, when Mishaela had first appeared to him. He thought back to the cold, hungry, and scared thoughts of that young self of his…  
  
"What about this one?" a guard asked. The rest of the prisoners had already been divided up, and sent along to their respective destinations. "Too small to be of any use in labour."  
  
His captain shrugged. "He is of no use to us. Perhaps we should just dispose of him…"  
  
Aoshe whimpered, cold, and frightened. The guards were still discussing the possible actions concerning him when a tall, elegant lady stepped into the room.  
  
"Lady Mishaela," the captain said, genuflecting.  
  
"Have the prisoners been sent off yet?" Mishaela said, impatient.   
  
"Yes, milady, as of just a few moments ago," said the captain, in a respectful tone.  
  
"What about this one?" Mishaela said, gesturing to Aoshe.  
  
"Ah, we're not sure what exactly to do with that one, milady," said the captain. "He is too young to serve in any useful form of labour, and he will not survive the journey to the…place of education."  
  
Mishaela glanced at Aoshe thoughtfully. "Why is it that he is the only child here?"  
  
"Milady, the rest of the children did not survive the journey here," the captain said. There wasn't a tone of sorrow in his voice.  
  
Mishaela stared at Aoshe, her eyes gazing directly into his. She held his stare for a while, and then turned away. "There is something strange about this one…I think I will keep this one. You are dismissed."  
  
"Yes, milady." The guards departed.  
  
Mishaela picked up Aoshe, and started walking. Although Aoshe didn't know this at the time, Mishaela had taken him to her quarters. Aoshe looked around, forgetting his fear for a moment. The room was lavishly decorated, with thick, wall-to-wall carpets lining the floor, a four-poster bed with sheets that looked to be made of silk, and a large, marble desk, with ancient-looking, dusty books on top of it, and flasks filled with strange looking liquids.  
  
Mishaela set down Aoshe on the bed, and walked over to the desk. Picking up one of the flasks, she gave it to Aoshe. "Drink," she commanded.  
  
Aoshe complied. He had nothing to lose, in any case. He gulped the flask down, and was surprised at how much better he felt.  
  
"An energy drink," said Mishaela, smiling. Although her smile was meant to convey friendliness, to Aoshe, it just appeared to make her look somewhat sinister. "Fills all biological needs, as well as including a slight stimulant. When you're conquering the world, you have no time for such trivial things as food and sleep.  
  
"What does 'conquering' mean?" Aoshe asked, curiously.  
  
"It doesn't matter," Mishaela said, shaking her head. "Now, then, boy, do you know why I had you brought here? What's your name, by the way?"  
  
Aoshe shook his head. "My name is Aoshe. I can't think of any reasons."  
  
"Perhaps it was out of the generosity of my own heart?" suggested Mishaela.  
  
Aoshe shook his head again. "That doesn't seem right, sorry."  
  
"Insightful. In any case, I want you to look at this," Mishaela said, holding out a hand. A crystal-clear, ball of ice appeared out of nowhere, and levitated a few inches above her palm. Aoshe's eyes widened.  
  
"This is magic," said Mishaela, in a matter-of-fact tone. "Only a certain number of beings possess the potential, and even fewer have enough potential to do something like this as easily as I can."  
  
"Wow," said Aoshe, staring at the sparkling ball, which was rotating slowly.  
  
"Indeed," said Mishaela. "With this sensitivity to the magicks of the world, comes the ability to sense the sensitivity of others as well. You have this gift within you."  
  
"You mean…I can do something like that?" Aoshe said, pointing.  
  
"Possibly," Mishaela said. "The odds are low…but there's something strange about you, that I can't put my finger on. The fact that you managed to survive this long, compared to the others, shows something unique about you. How'd you like to learn?"  
  
"I'd like that," Aoshe said, determined.  
  
"You must agree to serve me as master. Only with your complete and utter devotion, can I possibly unravel the gift you have inside you. Do you agree?"  
  
Aoshe didn't want to be locked up in a cage again, so the decision was easy. "Yes."  
  
The training was very hard. Mishaela drove Aoshe hard, urging him to greater and greater heights, relentless. Mishaela's expectations to his potential were quickly surpassed. However, his abilities were not to be revealed to the world, as of yet…  
  
"But, why can't the others know?" asked Aoshe. "I could be of some use, I think."  
  
"This is just going to be our secret, Aoshe," Mishaela said. "You'll be of great use to me once this war is over."  
  
"Why is that?" Aoshe said, puzzled.  
  
"Because, my ignorant apprentice, after this, everyone is going to be making a major play for power," Mishaela grinned. "Myself included."  
  
"Master, you would turn on your own allies?" said Aoshe, shocked.  
  
"Have you learnt anything? Everyone in here is extremely ambitious; you can see that. One doesn't rise to power here by lying down as a doormat. If you don't make your own grab, you'll find yourself with a knife in your back."  
  
"I suppose you're right…" said Aoshe, puzzled. "Won't people wonder why I spend so much time with you, though?"  
  
"Let them wonder. I bet most of them just consider you my personal boy-toy, in any case."  
  
"A what?"   
  
"You are so hopelessly naïve. In any case, you're going to be the concealed weapon that no one knows about. With your help, Balbazak, Elliott, even Kane will be no match for me."   
  
"What about Lord Darksol?"  
  
"Lord Darksol is the absolute ruler," Mishaela said, dreamily. "I wouldn't dare try to supplant him."  
  
"Master, are you sure I'm really that useful?"  
  
"You're one of the strongest magicians in the world. Maybe you'll become as good as I am, one day. Nah."  
  
Aoshe didn't think it likely, considering he had no real basis of comparison, besides Mishaela. He did wonder about Mishaela's attitude regarding her allies. Would he be regarded as a rival for power one day as well? He felt comfortable in that regard, anyway. No matter what Mishaela might boast, his powers were usually a match for her own in raw power. He lacked the finesse that Misheala's experience had given her, but made up for it in a large diversity of skills, including telekinesis, as well as some natural skill in armed combat."  
  
Aoshe remembered the last time he had seen her, almost two years ago. He had been placed in command of a large segment of Mishaela's forces, and been told to guard a site.  
  
"This underground cavern is very important," said Mishaela. "It is one of the major nexuses of magicks in the world. It is vital to our cause. Guard it well, my apprentice."  
  
"I will," Aoshe said, solemnly. "Master, where are you going?"  
  
"Certain events have risen up that require me to take a more personal approach. We've been having some problems with a small band of forces, led by a most unusual character. Anyway, I expect to wrap this up shortly."  
  
"Good luck," said Aoshe. "Good bye, master. I will do my best."  
  
"I expect nothing else," said Mishaela, solemnly. "Good bye, my apprentice."  
  
That had been the last he had heard of her. He heard rumors, a few weeks later, that she had been slain by this ragtag band. He found it hard to believe, however. Mishaela believed in having her options open; she wouldn't have let herself perish so easily.  
  
Aoshe had had full run of the cavern, with its extensive underground systems. He had found it pleasant being able to exert himself for once, but did find administration hopelessly dull. Devoting most of his resources to research, his mages had come up with a new, revolutionary way to disguise oneself in battle. His forces grew day by day, as survivors, having nowhere else to turn to, found their way underground. Then, when everything seemed just right, his advisors had bidden him to strike, and his rebellion against the world had begun…  
  
Now, Aoshe found himself standing in the middle of a country he was going to conquer one day. The reason he was here was that he had a message to deliver to Max. However, instead of just getting it over with, he found himself here, wandering down memory lane. Aoshe inwardly chastised himself for straying from the target, and proceeded to set off for the castle.  
  
One thing he noticed though was that everyone here seemed, well, happy. Underground, his people were restless, angry, seething with rage, and hatred. It was a strange thing to get used to, being in a land where people smiled, or laughed out loud.  
  
In the middle of his musings, Aoshe accidentally bumped into someone. He stepped to one side, and proceeded to walk onward.  
  
"Hey, you, kid! Come back here!"  
  
Aoshe continued forward, not paying attention, until a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He turned around slowly. A large man, decorated with tattoos, and armed to the teeth, loomed over him. He was flanked by several others.  
  
"Yes?" Aoshe asked?  
  
"You think you can just hit me, and wander off?" the man said, growling. "How about an apology?"  
  
"You want me…to apologize?" Aoshe hadn't done this in a while. For the last few years, he had been ruler, and as such, people apologized for being in his way instead of him ever having to open his mouth.  
  
"Yes. Now." A crowd was starting to gather, and Aoshe cursed silently. The last thing he needed was to draw attention to him.  
  
Aoshe gave a deep bow, as he had been trained. "My most humble apologies, sir," Aoshe said.  
  
The man, instead of being pleased, shoved him. "You runt! I don't need your sarcasm." Another man shoved him from behind.  
  
Aoshe was exasperated. "What do you want, then?"  
  
"Nothing much, now, except for you to shut up. I punch. You suffer. Got it?" the man cracked his knuckles, and he and his friends started to move in.  
  
Aoshe was getting angry. He considered just killing them all, right then and there, attention be damned. Someone shoved Aoshe from behind again, knocking him to the ground.  
  
Aoshe was now downright pissed. "Knock me down to the ground?" he thought angrily. "You'll soon be joining me on this very ground, and you'll be dead five times over before you hit it." He began to prepare himself…  
  
"Pathetic," said a new voice, loudly. The voice was young, female, and taunting.  
  
The man who had started this whole thing looked up. "What?"  
  
"So many of you to take out one boy? Sad. However do you manage? Perhaps if two of you kept him busy, while the rest ran for reinforcements, you might have a chance."  
  
"So, you want some of what he's going to get?" the man said. Aoshe couldn't see his smirk, but he knew it was there. "Be my guest." He stood up, and started to move toward the unknown figure. He stopped when he heard the rasp of a sword being drawn from its sheath.  
  
"We can do this the easy way, or the hard way…"  
  
Aoshe heard the man yell, and heard metal being drawn from leather, the usual sound when a hidden knife is revealed. He heard the man's footsteps as he charged. He heard the sound of metal meeting flesh, heard the man groan, and collapse. Not dead, however. It sounded like the dull sound of a flat hitting; not the tearing sound that results from a sharp edge cutting through.  
  
The other men surrounding Aoshe backed away, slowly. They carefully walked over to their fallen friend, picked him up, and ran off. The crowd laughed, and began to disperse. He heard the female sheath her sword.  
  
Someone laid a hand on his shoulder. It was a strange sensation to Aoshe, being touched like this. Besides the dim memories he had of being comforted by his mother, before she had died, no one ever since had touched him reassuringly like now. Even Mishaela, the person Aoshe felt closest to, had never approached him like this.  
  
"Are you alright?" the voice asked gently.  
  
Aoshe finally looked up. A young girl, perhaps a few years older than him, gazed down at him sympathetically.   
  
Aoshe shrugged. "Nothing's hurt but my pride."  
  
The girl smiled. "You have to be careful. The city's a dangerous place, y'know."  
  
"You're telling me," Aoshe said. "Thank you, in any case."  
  
The girl nodded, and began to walk off. "Wait!" Aoshe said, on sudden impulse. "Are you hungry?"  
  
"Actually, yes," the girl said. "I was just on my way now, to get something to eat."  
  
"Perhaps you'd allow me to accompany you? The least I can do is treat you."  
  
The girl looked at him oddly, then smiled. "Are you asking me out on a date?"  
  
Aoshe blushed. When had been the last time he had actually felt embarrassment? "Nothing like that…just lunch…place to chat…show gratitude," he mumbled, and wondered why he was being such a fool.  
  
"Never mind," she said. She reached up, and took his arm, linking it with hers. "I'd be happy to accept."  
  
"Thank you," Aoshe muttered out. "You know, you saved me and all, and I don't even your name…?"  
  
"Draco, Serena Draco."  
  
*****  
  
Author's note: Yes, it has taken a very long time for this to come out, a ridiculous amount of time, in fact. T_T That's what no access to a computer for a summer will do to you. My deepest apologies as to the delay. =(  
  
Aoshe's character has been somewhat frustrating for me. At first, I wanted to make him a cheerful villain, and so it was, last chapter. Now, thinking back, I'd like to change my mind and make him a stiff, formal type character, but it's kinda too late for that now. Character inconsistencies galore are in this chapter…T_T  
  
In any case, shame on you people who decided that I'd leave it finished at the last chapter. ^_^ It's so completely unresolved that it couldn't possibly be an ending. But this story is nearing it's end though…  
  
I'm planning on writing a sequel to this, which will focus more on a grand war type of thing. Massive battles, described in detail, with your favourite Shining Force characters duking it out. Not sure whether I'll do it or not though, but I'm leaning toward it. ^_^  
  
I've been playing Bahamut Lagoon recently, which has also been a main reason why this chapter's taken so long to come out. Very cool, the Formation aspect lends a lot of depth to it. If you're a Shining Force fan, you'll like this game.  
  
Once again, all feedback can be sent to strider_yoshi@tekken.cc. Praises, flames, phone numbers of cute girls, I'm open to everything. ^_^  
  
Cheers! 


	20. Full circle

Chapter 20  
  
Max came out of his dreamless sleep, slowly, unwillingly. It had been a while since he'd had such peaceful rest; why stop now? His stomach grumbled. Ah, of course. He hadn't had anything to eat, since...well, when exactly? Reluctantly, he climbed out of bed. Looking around, he noticed he was in his own room again, though he didn't remember how he had gotten there. Still dressed in his old clothes, for that matter. It didn't really much matter, in any case.  
  
Max walked over to the blinds, and threw them open. The dazzling rays of the morning sun struck him, full force. He blinked, and not just from the blinding light. He had slept for the entire day? He was usually unable to grab more than a few hours here and there at the most...  
  
Either way, it was time for breakfast. However, that meant leaving his room, and possibly running into people. Friends. Or were they still friends, now? Max found he really didn't much care. He was hungry, and tired. He would accept whatever they had to say, or do, in anger, in pain.  
  
Someone had thoughtfully left Max a cloak; it was identical to the ones he had worn in the past. He picked it up, and slung it over his shoulders, fastening it securely. He remembered doing this exact same act years ago, but he was a different person then. He opened the door, and started to head down towards the dining room. He passed people in the hallway, of course. Was it just his imagination, or were they avoiding his eyes, stepping out of his way? He couldn't blame them. He could imagine why would they do so, anyway.  
  
Max reached the dining room doors in what seemed like no time at all. He hesitated at the entrance; he could hear voices filtering through the doors. No matter, as this wasn't something he could avoid forever. His stomach was still rumbling anyway.  
  
Max opened the door, and stepped through.  
  
"So what're you up to, today?"  
  
"Nothing much. I thought I'd just pick up some flowers for um, a friend."  
  
"Yeah, sure. A friend. You just happened to accidentally fall over her, hmm?"  
  
"Hans, pass me some of those sausages, will you?"  
  
"Tao, don't be lazy; there's a whole stack over there on the buffet table. Just get up and get some."  
  
"Come on, don't be greedy, give them here-"  
  
"Jeez, stop reaching, you selfish-"  
  
There they were, a familiar scene. Everyone eating together, laughing, joking. More cheerful these days; war put a strain on everyone, of course. But it wasn't that much different, still a collection of foolishly idealistic individuals, chasing for what they believed in with optimism and energy. Max remembered being one of those individuals, once. How long ago had that changed?  
  
Someone noticed Max's entrance. The noise died down abruptly. They stared at him, and he stared back. Was that anger in their eyes? Or pity? Max slowly walked over to the buffet table, and scooped some food onto a plate. He carried it over to a table on the other side of the room, and sat down. He began to eat, paying complete attention to his food, not looking up, ignoring the silence in the room. Gradually, Max heard hushed whispers from where he sat. Discussing how best to deal with him? Whatever. He would do what they requested.  
  
Max heard the dining room doors open again. He glanced over. It was Anri. Not dressed in a formal gown, but casually, as he had seen her in the past. She looked at the table where the Shining Force sat, and smiled. She started to walk over that way, but stopped after a second. She looked around, confused, and spotted Max. Her eyes widened in surprise. Max hastily went back to work on his food.  
  
He heard Anri walk away, towards the buffet table. After a pause, which he supposed was for her to pick up some food, he heard footsteps coming his way again. Anri, of course, and probably with something to say as well. Mad at him for trying to sneak out? Probably.   
  
He heard the chair to his right being pulled back, and saw Anri sitting down, out of the corner of his eye. He waited to hear what she had to say.  
  
"Good morning," Anri said cheerfully. She picked up a piece of toast, slathered with jam, and started to nibble on it.   
  
Max stared at her, nonplussed. What in the world?  
  
The chair on the left was pulled back; he saw Lowe sitting down, carrying his plate. "Have you tried the sausages?" Lowe asked. "Tao can't get enough of them; she's already stolen two of mine."  
  
Max heard a clatter of sound, and many footsteps headed his way, along with the distinct tank treads of Guntz, as well as the speedy wings of Balbaroy and Amon. One by one, Hans, Tao, Gort, Khris, and the rest of the Shining Force settled around him, chatting, laughing. Tao dumped some sausages on his plate, claiming she was full. Hans asked Max for some sausages, and before Max could answer, had already snatched two off his plate. This prompted Tao to scream at Hans for taking what she had given, to which Hans only smiled and winked.  
  
Lowe leant out of the way as Tao reached over him, trying to stab one of Hans's sausages with a fork. "So, why are you here, Anri? Not a busy day?" he asked, cheerfully.  
  
Anri leant back nervously as Hans used his own fork to skillfully parry Tao's raid. "Actually, yes," she replied, grinning. "I just told my advisors to handle everything like I would. They didn't like it, but they really couldn't do anything about it."   
  
Hans looked up, startled. "Anri playing hooky? You must be a spy, in disguise." Tao used his distraction to finally snatch the sausage away, and immediately gobbled it down. She rubbed her stomach, sighing in satisfaction.  
  
"How can you eat so many of those?" Diane asked. "They're greasy, and filled with fat. You're going to be sick after a few hours."  
  
"Not to mention the havoc it would wreck on her figure," Hans added in.  
  
"Like it would matter to you," Tao said, sneering. " You'll chase after anything that's single and female, won't you?"  
  
"I am not!" Hans said indignantly. "I have standards! Too bad you just don't reach them."  
  
Diane giggled suddenly. "Like that lady we saw you with a week ago? Does she reach your standards? I swear, she's as old as my mom. Or my mom's mom."  
  
"She was not," Hans mumbled. "She was...thirty-ish."  
  
Gort was following this conversation, amused. "I suppose after every beer, your standards go lower and lower, eh, Hans? Then again, you were always a lightweight."  
  
"I am not a lightweight, old man!" Hans said angrily. "Care to settle this in a old-fashioned drinking contest?"  
  
"You're on!" Gort roared. "Tonight, hard liquor only. Max can be the judge, right Max?" They both looked at Max. Max stared at them.  
  
"I don't think so," Tao said, smiling. "I think Max was taking me out for a romantic night on the town, right? With a candlelight dinner, and dancing, and a long moonlight stroll on the beach," Tao murmured, lost in her own fantasy.  
  
"I don't know," said Khris doubtingly, "the river's kind of far away from here. It also looks like rain..."  
  
"Just like you girls to suggest such useless activities," Mae said, scoffing. "I'm sure Max would rather train with Ken, Luke, and I? Isn't that right, Max!"  
  
Max stared down at his plate, not answering. He wasn't aware of anything but a quiet sense of happiness, which he tried to fight down. What right did he have to feel happy, after all, when so many had suffered? The feeling persisted, nonetheless.  
  
"Where's Serena?" Lowe asked, looking around.  
  
Diane and Tao looked at each other, and smiled. "Probably out with her new boyfriend," Diane murmured.  
  
Max looked up, interested. "Really," he said. It was the first word he had uttered since coming to the table, and Diane looked at him, surprised.  
  
"Diane and I saw them eating dinner yesterday," Tao explained. "We were going to join them, but I don't think they wanted to be interrupted." Tao and Diane both giggled.  
  
Max reached out, and tried to get a feel of Serena's presence. He found her, at one spot, but couldn't sense anyone around her. He shrugged inwardly. She must have finished already.   
  
Mae had a military to run, and Hans and company had soldiers to train, so they said their goodbyes, and departed. Lowe, Khris, and Gong headed to the hospitals, to lend their assistance. Guntz rolled off, muttering something about tune-ups. Balbaroy and Amon took off to attend to duties in Shade Abbey. One by one, the others left, to get to work on their duties, or in the case of certain people, go off to enjoy themselves.   
  
  
  
Max glanced around. The dining hall had emptied out rather quickly. The only ones left besides himself was Anri and-  
  
  
  
"How did you two get in here without being noticed?" Anri asked curiously.  
  
  
  
"I'm always being ignored," Domingo noted in a hurt tone.  
  
  
  
"I, along with many other talents, am a master of disguise," Jogurt squeaked out.  
  
  
  
Anri decided not to think about how a giant hamster would disguise himself. She turned to Max, and smiled. "How about going down into the city? Looks like just the two of us."  
  
  
  
Max hesitated, then shrugged. "Fine, I guess."  
  
  
  
Anri was a little disturbed by his indifferent response, but shrugged it off. She took ahold of his arm firmly, and steered him outside.  
  
  
  
"Sure, don't ask us along, we'll be fine," Domingo called out after them. The magical...thing...looked at Jogurt. "Why are we always being ignored?"  
  
  
  
"The weak are always frightened by the strong," Jogurt said impressively. They both went back to stuffing their face.  
  
  
  
*  
  
"Waiter, refill, please!" Serena shouted gleefully.  
  
Aoshe looked at her, embarrassed. She was certainly above the threshold of what he considered to be a polite call. "Pardon me, but I think you're just annoying him."  
  
Serena rolled her eyes. "What should I care? It's his job, and he's doing an damn incompetent job of it too."  
  
Aoshe winced, certain that at least half the bar had heard that. "Oh, and can you please keep it down? You're making a scene."  
  
Serena childishly stuck out her tongue. "So what? I have nothing to be ashamed of. If they have an problem with me, they can bring it right over here."  
  
Aoshe noticed that a few people seemed willing to take Serena up on her challenge. "Still, at least, try, please? I'd like to not be thrown out of another bar for starting a fight...that's already happened in three. One today already.  
  
Serena shrugged. "I covered the damages. It was only one or two tables anyway, the bartender overreacted.  
  
Aoshe snorted. "It was five tables, several chairs, and a broken window."  
  
"Wait, I don't remember the window," Serena said, scratching her head.  
  
"Remember when that big guy was charging at you, and you tripped him?" Aoshe asked.  
  
"He went through the window?" Serena wondered.  
  
"No, but the chair he was carrying did." Aoshe corrected.  
  
"Oh...well, I couldn't help that." Serena said glumly.  
  
"Look, I have not known you that long, but is there something wrong?" Aoshe asked. "Unless regularly getting into bar fights is part of your normal routine, then I apologize."  
  
Serena smiled wryly. "Well, I wouldn't say regularly, and it's usually more of a tussle than a fight." Serena's smile died. "Well, it's just that this whole situation has me kind of edge."  
  
"You mean with Max?" Aoshe asked, although he knew the answer.  
  
"Yeah..." Serena trailed off. "Just don't know if he's going to be alright."  
  
"Max is a resilient man," Aoshe said, trying to comfort Serena. "He will overcome this, just as he always does."  
  
"How the hell would you know?" Serena said, her temper flaring suddenly. "You don't know what it's like to be him, what he has to go through, all that responsibility on his shoulders..."  
  
Aoshe thought about the armies he commanded, and his people, living underground, foraging moss and plants to eat. He let no sign of this pass on his face. "No," he said quietly, "I suppose I do not." He bowed his head in apology.  
  
"I'm sorry," Serena said miserably. "You see? I'm striking out at anyone. Hell, I told you, someone I just met a few days ago, about my personal problems."  
  
Aoshe looked at her carefully. "Why do you suppose that is?"  
  
Serena shrugged. "I really don't know. Are you usually a sounding board?"  
  
Aoshe smiled. "I do seem to spend most of my time listening to the problems of others." Those problems usually tended to revolve around trivial matters such as survival, and planning a war, but it was technically true.  
  
"Now, please allow me to signal the waiter, and perhaps we will avoid an altercation so early in the morning." Aoshe suggested.  
  
"Be my guest," Serena said, leaning back.  
  
*  
  
  
  
Max decided that being known as Max was a lot different from being Peregrin. As Peregrin, he had been mobbed wherever he went. People had flocked to him, boys had asked for autographs, soldiers had bought him drinks, young ladies had flirted with him. Now...  
  
Max glanced askance at the empty path before him, and snorted. He watched as people quickly got out of his way. They whispered to each other as he passed by, talking to each other and pointing once he was farther away.  
  
Anri glanced up at him. "You stand out in a crowd, I suppose?" she said lightly.  
  
"Undoubtedly," Max said, rolling his eyes.   
  
"It could be me, you know. Perhaps the people are just too awed by their beautiful and awe-inspiring queen." She tossed her long hair out to around her back, and gave an insolent shake to her head, which gave a little sway to her hair.  
  
"You know, if you're trying to act arrogant, you shouldn't look as if you were trying to stop yourself from smiling," Max offered helpfully. "It gives the wrong expression."  
  
"I'll remember that for the future," Anri promised. She stooped to look at a pair of earrings. "Pretty!"  
  
"Why don't you buy it then?" Max suggested.  
  
Anri smiled at Max. "Why don't you buy it for me?"  
  
"You're richer," Max pointed out.  
  
"True, but what would the people say if they saw me spending their tax money in such a frivolous manner?"  
  
"They wouldn't say anything after you threw them in jail. If a tree falls in the forest, and no one's around to hear it, does it make a sound?"  
  
"Your logic is incorrect. The prison guards would hear, and the other prisoners."  
  
"Are you saying you don't have a secret cell for prisoners located deep under the castle, barred by 9 magical locks, and taken care of only by deaf and mute guards? That's just bad planning. You never know which dangerous person you'll have to lock up."  
  
"I'll make you a deal. If you buy me these earrings, I'll build your cell and let you be the first to try it out, alright?"  
  
"Deal." Max dug through his robes, and produced a sack of gold.  
  
Anri raised an eyebrow. "Do you need me to tell you the stupidity of openly showing an extremely large bag of gold, in the middle of a crowded street?"  
  
Max shrugged. "Your bodyguards will take care of you, and since I happen to be in your company, me as well.  
  
"Wait, I didn't bring any bodyguards," Anri said, frowning quizzically.  
  
"Of course you did," Max corrected absently. Directly behind me, talking to the produce seller, man in dark pants and tunic, knee high boots, floor length black cloak. To your right, woman, short blond hair, long white dress, looking at the flower shop. The man has a concealed crossbow in the right pocket of the cloak, and a dagger hidden in his right boot. The arrow is tipped with poison, of course. The woman has a poniard strapped to her right thigh, and throwing daggers in her purse."  
  
Anri stared at Max. "There's no way you could...alright, we'll see about this." She waved. "You," she said imperiously, pointing to the man in the cloak. "And you," she said, pointing to the woman. "Come over here." They came over, both looking somewhat confused.  
  
Anri bent down suddenly, reached inside the cloaked man's boot, and pulled out a dagger. She disgustingly glared at the man and woman. "Ok, who are you two?"  
  
"High Royal Guard, 3rd unit, Your Highness," both chorused simultaneously.  
  
Anri glared at Max. "How did you know?"  
  
Max shrugged. "First off, there are several distinguishing characteristics. The calluses on their palms are from years of sword practice. The freshness of their clothes indicates that they're not just common robbers or thieves. Besides, all military personnel walk as if they were in parade, all straight and stiff."  
  
"The weapons?" Anri asked.  
  
"The slight drag on the cloak on the right side suggested a weapon of some sort. I heard the clang of metal in the purse as she walked. As for the rest, I'll admit, they were just educated guesses. Men always hide daggers in their boots, and women always strap concealed objects to their thigh. I don't know about the poison arrows, but now that I think about it, it's a good idea.  
  
Anri glared at Max. "You expect me to swallow that? You picked up a miniscule drag of a cloak? You heard the clang of metal and observed calluses from over fifteen meters away?"  
  
Max grinned. "Caught, I see." He turned to the two guards, and although their expression hadn't changed, they seemed to be amused. "Tell Mae I'll take responsibility from hereon. That's an order."  
  
"Sir." The two saluted Max, and headed off toward the castle.  
  
"You knew beforehand," Anri accused.  
  
"You're right in thinking that I couldn't possibly pick those details out from such a distance," Max said. "But you're wrong in thinking that I somehow prearranged this, especially considering I haven't been out of your sight the entire day."  
  
"Then how...?"  
  
"I just know Mae, that's all. After you were kidnapped, you really think she would let you wander off, without protection? I know that she knows that you would never agree to guards, so she had to do it this way."  
  
"It still doesn't explain how you picked them out," Anri said grumpily.  
  
"You've forgotten about one of my many abilities, the Sight," Max said, smiling in a superior fashion. I observed the aura's of two people following us from the castle; it wasn't hard to figure out what they were there for."  
  
"Mae and I are going to have a little talk about the chain of command when I get back," Anri muttered to herself.  
  
Max tossed her a tiny packet, wrapped in paper. "Here you go. Your reward for seeing the truth. Well, part of it, anyway."  
  
"Thanks, I think." She caught the earrings, and stowed them in a pocket. "Whenever I look at these, It'll remind me of your true character."  
  
Max smiled, and raised an imaginary glass to toast her. "To duplicity."  
  
An uncomfortable silence fell between Anri and Max, as they avoided the issues that they knew would have to be discussed eventually. They continued to banter, in a familiar, comfortable, and ultimately meaningless way.  
  
*  
  
Author's notes: Uh, they're on chapter 21, since I decided to split this in half. -_- 


	21. Conventions of War

Chapter 21  
  
*  
  
Although they didn't know it, Aoshe and Serena were strolling in Max and Anri's direction. They had left the bar (without getting into any fights), and were now strolling aimlessly, much like Anri and Max were doing.  
  
"You know, I really don't know much about you," Serena said. "Every time we've met, it's been about me, me having problems, me getting drunk after lunch, me getting into bar-clearing brawls."  
  
"Well, having life revolve around you seems to be much more interesting," Aoshe said, smiling.  
  
"No, I'm serious," Serena said. "Talk about yourself."  
  
Aoshe hesitated. "There really is not much to know. I am just your average guy."  
  
Serena laughed wryly. "A male who doesn't want to talk about himself, and what he does? Someone who just likes to listen, and possibly stay clear of bar fights? Are you sure you're a guy, because you're certainly not a typical one."  
  
Aoshe blushed. "I must protest at this questioning of my manhood. I assure you, I am very much a man."  
  
Serena grinned. "Well, then why in the whole time we've been together, you haven't hit on me once? Have a girlfriend already?"  
  
Aoshe brushed some imaginary dirt off his shirt, avoiding Serena's mischievous face. "Um...no," he mumbled.  
  
"Ah..." Serena said. "Perhaps, then, you are not interested in the female sex?"  
  
"No, no!" Aoshe interjected hastily. "I certainly am, I just...well, have not really had the opportunity, or the time..." he trailed off helplessly.  
  
"Others have made the time," Serena said playfully.  
  
"Well, how about you?" Aoshe said, trying to deflect attention away from him. "You have anyone you are currently seeing?"  
  
Serena chewed on her bottom lip. "No," she said ruefully.  
  
Aoshe looked at her. "No one you are interested in?"  
  
Serena smiled faintly. "I suppose there's a guy, but I don't think he feels the same way."  
  
Aoshe had his guesses about the identity of Serena's interest, but chose not to air his speculations.  
  
"Enough about this," Serena said suddenly. "I wasn't planning to ask you about your love life, and I certainly didn't want to answer questions about mine. I was hoping to find out more general things."  
  
Aoshe shrugged. "Such as?"  
  
"Well, for a start, how old are you?" Serena asked.  
  
"I'm not exactly sure myself," Aoshe admitted. The people he had grown up with were not very familiar with human ages, and rate of growth, so he could only speculate, and he had not had much to compare with. "I believe I am approximately fifteen to seventeen years old."  
  
"What, your parents forgot your birthday, or something?" Serena inquired, curious.  
  
Aoshe was silent for a while. "I...was orphaned at a young age,"   
  
"I'm sorry," Serena said, sympathetic. Or was she sorry? Humans were able to lie so easily, full of deceit. But she seemed genuine. Perhaps she was different than the usual human.  
  
"Do you remember them at all?" Serena asked.  
  
"Not really," Aoshe said gruffly. Aoshe winced inwardly. He had been told that his parents had abandoned him, saving themselves, about how that was just one of the examples of the selfishness and greed of the human race. Even so, no matter how much he hated them at times, and how angry he felt himself, he still secretly wished he could remember them.   
  
"Who raised you?" Serena questioned.  
  
"I had someone who adopted me," Aoshe answered. "She took care of me." Until he had grown powerful enough to take care of himself.  
  
"Oh. Does she live here, or...?"  
  
"She is...no longer with me," Aoshe finished.  
  
"I'm sorry," Serena said. "I seem to keep on asking the wrong questions."  
  
Aoshe sighed. "It is alright. You couldn't have known."  
  
Serena smiled. "When I met you at first, I thought you were a wimp. But it seems like you're pretty self-sufficient. I suppose there's other ways to take care of yourself than knowing how to fight."  
  
Aoshe shrugged. "Still, I am thankful you stepped in when you did." Killing several people would probably have blown his cover.  
  
Serena laughed. "I do anything to get into a fight, as you've found out. Oh, and drink. Speaking of which, I think it's time for lunch."  
  
Aoshe looked at the sun, still rising in the sky. "I don't think it's lunchtime yet."  
  
"Well, we can have the meal that's in between breakfast and lunch," Serena suggested.  
  
"I didn't know one existed."  
  
"It was just created. We should celebrate it's birth with some beers."  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
*  
  
Max, still talking aimlessly with Anri, passed by Serena, heading in the other direction. Max easily picked out her distinct aura, like a star in the night sky. He considered stopping to say hi, but decided not to disturb her and her new friend, who, from his aura, seemed unremarkable.  
  
*  
  
Early in the morning, Aoshe opened the closet in his room at one of the local inns, reached into the closet and pulled out the dress uniform he had brought with him. It was a somber grey, all hard and angular, projecting strength. He slipped out of his middle-class civilian clothing, and put on the uniform.  
  
It wouldn't be good to not look his best, especially when he was striving to make an impression.  
  
He completed the outfit with a long, hooded cloak. It certainly wouldn't do to look conspicuous, not until he had met the person he had come out to see. He raised the hood, throwing his face into shadows.  
  
He began walking toward the castle, drawing little attention. Like any city, Guardiana had it's share of unsavoury characters, and he looked just like any rogue trying to keep a low profile. Most people wisely chose to mind their own business. In no time at all, he was at the castle, where the gate guards stopped him.  
  
"State your business," demanded one of the guards, casually resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.  
  
Aoshe paused, silently recalling his prepared answer. "I am the chosen representative of a foreign country. I would like to arrange a meeting with Her Highness, Queen Anri."  
  
The guard relaxed. "That would be possible. However, Her Highness is currently dealing with many problems that require her attention. If you would care to wait, she will see you as soon as she can."  
  
"Certainly, thank you," Aoshe said gracefully. He allowed himself to be led away by a castle functionary.  
  
One of the other guards shrugged. "An ambassador from another minor country. Do they ever stop?"  
  
Another guard agreed. "I've lost track of all the countries that have tried to open diplomatic relations. I haven't heard of half of them."  
  
"Where was this guy from?" the first guard asked.  
  
"I don't think he brought it up," the second guard replied.  
  
"It doesn't really matter," the first said. "Probably some minor noble out there in a squalid, run-down castle, declaring himself a country."  
  
"Probably," the other agreed. They went back to their look out duties.  
  
*  
  
Aoshe was lead to his seat, in a long corridor. The corridor was filled with a row of chairs, on which were seated a long line of dignitaries, wealthy merchants, and minor nobles, all with problems or suggestions they needed the queen to decide on personally. Every now and then, the great double doors at the end of the hall would open up, and someone would walk out, followed by an aide. The aide would then call another person into the room, and close the doors. This was how the bureaucracy of Guardiana functioned. It would mean a lengthy wait, but Aoshe didn't mind; patience was a virtue, and one long neglected from where he came.  
  
Aoshe sat down, lowered his hood, and relaxed; no point being tense over what was to come. It was unlikely that anyone would recognize him, as only two people had seen his face, and one of them was currently indisposed. Aoshe knew the other unknowingly relied too heavily on his unique ability to detect auras; fortunately, Aoshe knew how to counteract it. To pass the time, Aoshe casually pulled out a roll of parchment, and glanced over it. It had taken him days to write it, poring over it, rewriting sections, and throwing in new ideas. He was confident that it would have the effect he wanted to convey. No harm in checking things over one more time.  
  
Aoshe finished his careful examination of the parchment's contents, and rolled it up and stowed it safely inside his cloak. While doing so, he caught the eye of a heavily set man directly opposite him, who had came just behind him.  
  
The man held his hand out. "Drannon Segunto."  
  
Aoshe met his hand in a firm grasp, and shook it. "Aoshe."  
  
"No last name?" Segunto asked.  
  
"No, I never had one," Aoshe said, shrugging.  
  
"Oh," said Segunto, shrugging. "From the looks of you, I'm guessing you represent...some kind of dignitary?"  
  
"Close," Aoshe said. "I suppose you could call me a kind of ambassador."  
  
"Ah," Segunto said. "From what country?"  
  
Aoshe blinked. "A good question. The people I represent do not have an actual country, per se. Only what we call ourselves."  
  
"Which is?" Segunto asked.  
  
"The Forgotten ones," Aoshe said softly.  
  
"I see," Segunto said, a slight note of trepidation in his voice. "I'm guessing a nomadic race, with no official standing in your place of origin?"  
  
Aoshe nodded. "Very good. That comes very close to describing our...grievance. And you, sir? Whose interest do you represent?"  
  
Segunto chuckled. "I'm here as an official envoy from Edgen, out in the northwest."  
  
Aoshe smiled politely, feigning enlightenment. Where the hell was Edgen? He made a mental note to brush up on the geography, and to pay special attention to minor powers. "If I may, what is the nature of the item you wish to address with Her Highness?"  
  
"Some of our fisherman have some complaints about the fisherman from Guardiana. It seems they've been crossing the previously agreed on border, as determined in Tri-fishery treaty several years ago."  
  
Aoshe continued to smile. It was hard work, pretending he actually took an interest. He silently applauded Anri, who had to deal with this every single day. "That sounds important."  
  
Segunto nodded gravely. "Twenty-five percent of Edgen's total export comes from fish. This is severely cutting into our profits."  
  
"Not that you had ever fished a day," Aoshe thought. "Unless going through a significant portion of your country's export counts." "Oh my," Aoshe said out loud.  
  
Segunto shrugged. "I'm hoping to clear this problem," he said. "By the way, I think you're next."  
  
Aoshe looked over. The fat man was right; he was at the head of the line. Perhaps Anri's personal presence was only required as a diplomatic courtesy, with the real work delegated to the government. A wise choice, as Aoshe had seen what happened when one person tried to control as much as he could.  
  
One of the queen's aides came to where he was sitting. "Her Highness is ready to see you now, Sir...?"  
  
Aoshe smiled easily. "Oh, no need to announce me." He pulled out the roll of parchment from his cloak. "If you would just give this to Her Highness, please. I will be waiting out here, with my friend, Segunto."  
  
The aide blinked. This was unusual, but he saw no harm in it. He sketched a short bow. "As you wish," he said. He opened the double doors, stepped through, and the doors closed behind him.  
  
Segunto raised an eyebrow. "That was it? You just needed to deliver something to Her Highness? You could have just dropped it off at the castle, you know, and avoided the wait."  
  
Aoshe shrugged. "Her Highness probably would not read it until later. I am sure, though, that she will wish to see me after she finishes reading the contents of my message."  
  
Segunto began to speak, but stopped as the double doors burst open. The aide rushed through, followed by half a dozen guards, with drawn weapons. The aide pointed at Aoshe, and the guards rushed up to him, swords and spears at his throat.  
  
Anri stormed out a moment later, blood rushing into her usually pale face. She stared at Aoshe. "You!" she sputtered. "You dare..."  
  
Aoshe glanced at Segundo, who looked at him, appalled. Aoshe winked at him. "Like I said..."  
  
*  
  
Aoshe was searched for weapons, and escorted into the throne room, surrounded by heavily armed guards. He calmly came to a stop, ignoring the various sharp objects pointed in his direction. Anri paced around, and turned on him suddenly.  
  
"What is this?" she demanded, holding up the roll of parchment he had given to the aide.  
  
"Your Highness, I thought it would be clear from the contents," Aoshe said calmly. "Perhaps you could specify which areas you would like me to clarify?"  
  
"This...this...is a declaration..." Anri said, stuttering.  
  
"...of war," Aoshe finished calmly. The sharp objects came that much closer. "As of this date, my people, The Forgotten ones, formally declare a state of aggression towards your kingdom of Guardiana, as well as your allies. I believe you will find the details summed up quite nicely in that parchment."  
  
"But what are you doing here?" Anri demanded. "Have you already begun? Are your forces already inside our walls, ready to strike?"  
  
"I assure you, Your Highness, that I come merely as an ambassador today," Aoshe said firmly. "In fact, I wish to-"  
  
"What? Demand our surrender? Threaten me, and my family? Oh, wait, I have no family, because my father is already dead," Anri said bitterly.  
  
"As I was saying, I wish to negotiate some conventions for this upcoming conflict," Aoshe finished.  
  
"Conventions? What kind of conventions?" Anri said, baffled.  
  
"Conventions of war," Aoshe said. "For example, guidelines regarding the treatment of prisoners of war, and civilians."  
  
Anri stared at him, then glared, suspicious. "Why should I believe you?"  
  
"The last time I was here, were their any casualties?" Aoshe asked.  
  
"No," Anri said reluctantly. "Quite a few were knocked out, but no deaths."  
  
"Ah, I see. Do you want to know why?" Aoshe inquired. "It is because I did not authorize the use of deadly force in our...tactical strike."  
  
"You mean when you kidnapped Max, and tried to sacrifice him in some kind of insane blood ritual?" Anri said, her voice dark with anger.  
  
"Yes, that's the one," Aoshe said easily. "Do we have anything to talk about, or should I go back to my troops and tell them they have free reign?"  
  
Anri nodded reluctantly. "Very well," she grounded out.  
  
Aoshe glanced around. "I find it hard to negotiate when someone is holding a weapon to my throat."  
  
Anri hesitated. Aoshe shrugged. "If I were going to kill you, I would have done it long before, when you were completely unaware of our presence. However, I do not believe in...unhonourable attacks."  
  
Anri smiled, in the first hint of humour since she had seen him. She waved her hand, and the guards reluctantly lowered their weapons. "I find it amusing to be lectured on honour by someone who's people worship evil."  
  
Aoshe smiled. "As I have said before, it all depends on your point of view."  
  
Anri acknowledged his statement with a nod. "If you care to follow me into the war room, we can start out talks." She stood up, and began walking towards a set of doors off to her right. She held the guards back with just a look.  
  
"She will be spending a lot of time in that room in the future," Aoshe thought. He noticed that while Anri had dismissed her personal guards, her right hand had tightened up on the staff she carried. He smiled inwardly. He would have been disappointed if she had let her guard down that easily. A worthy adversary, indeed.  
  
*  
  
"So, we agree, that civilians are to be treated as non-combatants, and treated as thus?" Aoshe asked.  
  
"I wasn't aware that your people even had civilians," Anri said.  
  
"An army does not run by itself, as I am sure you are aware."  
  
They had been talking for hours, hammering out details, asking and giving concessions. People had stepped in from time to time, including a female centaur, Mae, if he recalled correctly. She had shot a look of pure hatred at him, and her hand had tightened around her lance. Other notables included a fiery-haired mage, Tao, and a strange floating squid...or something. Aoshe was putting the finishing touches on the treaty they were both to sign.  
  
"So, we are in agreement regarding the treatment of civilians...I think that is just about it. Unless there is something else you wish to add?" Aoshe asked.  
  
Anri shook her head. "Not at all. I believe you have been quite thorough."  
  
Aoshe nodded. "I will just finish reading this through then, and after you have are satisfied with the contents of this treaty, we will sign it to complete our agreement. With witnesses of course."  
  
"Of course," she agreed. "We've been talking for hours. May I offer you some sort of refreshment?"  
  
Aoshe grinned inwardly. He could tell that she was wary of him, probably hated him. However, as queen, she could not let her personal feelings interfere with this important event. She was certainly a tremendous lady. "I will have to decline," Aoshe apologized. He didn't think she would attempt to poison him, but he would rather not take any chances.  
  
Aoshe glanced over the formally scribed parchment, making sure there were no loopholes, no ambiguous meanings. As he continued to read, he noticed Anri watching him. "Yes, Your Highness?" he asked.  
  
"It's...just your demeanor. The last time we met, you were...how shall I say...different." Anri said slowly, puzzled.  
  
"Ah," Aoshe nodded knowingly. "You mean, I did stuff like this?" He suddenly threw his head back, and burst into a loud, deep cackle, startling Anri. The doors slid open, and the guards glanced inside. Determining there was no danger to the queen, the doors closed just as suddenly. Aoshe looked at Anri, abashed.  
  
"Oh, and I'm guessing I talked like this, always rambling about 'them blood sacrifices, and plague sweeping the land, and I'm going to kill you all', et cetera, et cetera." Aoshe said, filling his usual formal speech with contractions, grammatical errors, and pitching his tone into what seemed like an excited, mad rambling.  
  
"Yes, and of course, I looked like this," Aoshe said. His eyes lit up suddenly with a mad fire, and he pulled his lips back into a grin, showing all his teeth.  
  
Anri smiled nervously. "Yes, something like that."  
  
Aoshe resumed his normal, calm expression. "Just so we are clear."  
  
"Why, though?" Anri asked.  
  
Aoshe sighed. "Well, Darksol, Kane (with the mask), Mishaela...they all had a certain charisma, a certain force behind them. You could see it in them, feel it when you spoke to them. My people expect a leader like that, demand it, really. So I fake it."  
  
"You fake it?" Anri said, surprised.  
  
"How do you suppose a human survives so long?" Aoshe asked. "I had to play many roles in order to ensure that I lived. If not for my current position, I would be a great actor, I am sure."  
  
"But what about the blood sacrifice?" Anri asked.  
  
Aoshe hesitated. "Not exactly my decision. One of my generals came up with the idea. I reluctantly agreed."  
  
"But you're their leader! Surely you could have stopped them." Anri insisted.  
  
"I could rule through fear, true," Aoshe said. "That was how Darksol and his gang operated, and look how they turned out. It leads to stubbornness, and clouded vision. I give a little, I take a little. I listen to others, and share my opinion. In essence, I am shaping the government in the spirit of democracy."  
  
Anri snorted. "With a somewhat different set of morals and values."  
  
Aoshe shrugged. "I suppose. However, you do not have to worry about this treaty not being obeyed," Aoshe said. "I still command enough respect and fear to be sure of that." He smiled. "It is hard to let go of the old ways."  
  
"Oh, by the way," Aoshe said, as if remembering something. "You do not have to worry about any further kidnapping attempts on Sir Max."  
  
"Given up on any further resurrections?" Anri said, raising one eyebrow.  
  
"Indeed," Aoshe said softly. "We believe we do not need Darksol, or anyone. We have more than enough strength."  
  
Anri narrowed her eyes. "I'll take that into consideration. If you're done with that?"  
  
Aoshe shrugged, and handed the parchment over to Anri. She took her time reading over it, then nodded. "Everything seems to be in order," she said. "Your articulation is excellent, as good as any scribe I've seen."  
  
Aoshe bowed in acknowledgement. "The person who raised me taught me many things."  
  
Anri hesitated. "And who raised you? How did you grow up with...with them?"  
  
Aoshe smiled. "I'm afraid that story will have to wait for another time."  
  
Anri sighed. "Tao, Mae, if you want to come in, please," she called out, in a loud voice.  
  
The mage and centaur Aoshe had seen earlier stepped in, obviously eavesdropping. Anri stood up. "I, Anri, Queen of Guardiana, the fourteenth in my bloodline, hereby agree and adhere to the Conventions of Warfare, dated the twenty-third day of the summer season. She signed her name to the bottom of the parchment.  
  
Aoshe stood up. "I, Aoshe, leader of The Forgotten Ones, also agree and adhere to the Conventions of Warfare, dated the twenty-third day of the summer season. He signed at the bottom.  
  
Tao and Mae signed as well, as witnesses to the event. Aoshe bowed deeply. "I believe that concludes my business here," he said gracefully. "Good day, Your Highness." He turned his back to them, and started stately off towards the doors.  
  
"You're just going to let him go?" he heard Mae mutter to Anri.  
  
"He came under a truce," Anri said wearily. "Taking him or killing him now would violate the convention I just signed."  
  
Mae snorted audibly, and galloped over towards the doors. "If you'll allow me to escort you out, sir," she said, in a sickeningly sweet voice.  
  
Aoshe bowed. "Thank you, Captain Mae." They proceeded in silence, Mae escorting him all the way to the gates of the castle.  
  
"Just so you know, I will have your head for what you've done," Mae muttered to him.  
  
Aoshe looked over at her steely gaze. "I look forward to meeting you on the battlefield," he said coolly.  
  
"Count on it," Mae snarled. She turned away abruptly, and walked off. Of course, she would have people follow him from here, perhaps hoping he would unwittingly lead them to the location of his base. Futile, of course.  
  
Aoshe briskly walked back towards his room. Everything had been settled in a satisfactory way. He had ensured that the lives of his people would be protected, at least mostly. This left only one small matter to wrap up.  
  
*  
  
"But...there's still the entire northwest bars to go through!" Serena said. "You're not going, and that's it!"  
  
Aoshe bowed. "I apologize, but something has come up. I must depart immediately on urgent business."  
  
"Jeez, the master calls, and you rush off like a beaten dog with your tail between your legs?" Serena said, in a spiteful tone.  
  
Aoshe smiled. "I believe the beaten dog analogy is quite apt."  
  
Serena sighed. "Sorry, it's just that this is kinda sudden, y'know?"  
  
Aoshe nodded sorrowfully. "Again, I apologize for the abrupt nature of my leave. It really cannot wait, and I am required to depart immediately."  
  
Serena nodded. "I know, I know..."  
  
"I must thank you for the pleasure of your company during my stay here," Aoshe said formally. "I have enjoyed talking to you, and..."  
  
Serena laughed. "Jeez, will you cut out the robot act?"  
  
"What's a robot?" Aoshe said, puzzled.  
  
"Something I heard about from Max," Serena said. "Which I WILL tell you about, some time. This is definitely not goodbye, but farewell for now, you understand me?"  
  
"I understand, but what do you mean by robot?" Aoshe said, still confused.  
  
"Lighten up! Cut out the formal, stiff talk, and try smiling!" Serena said.  
  
Aoshe smiled. "Am I really like that?"  
  
"Oh, yes," Serena said. "That's a lot better. Take care of yourself, okay?"  
  
Aoshe nodded. "You too." He hesitantly held his hand out.  
  
Serena took it, and pulled him into a hug, and a kiss on the cheek. Aoshe blushed, unused to such contact. Such intimacy was non-existent where he came from.  
  
"Oh, and one more thing," Serena said. "Stop being such a wimp." She suddenly turned her hug into a sleeper hold."  
  
"Nmmph Pmmmmph," Aoshe mumbled, his breathing constricted.  
  
Serena let go. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some serious drinking to do," she said. "To toast a friend."  
  
Aoshe smiled one last time, bowed, and stepped through the door onto the street.  
  
Why exactly had he kept in the company of such a naïve, headstrong young woman? He certainly hadn't planned to at the start. But there was something about just enjoying the company of a person who, a) didn't fear him, b) didn't want to kill him, or c) wasn't trying to manipulate him for his or her own personal gain. He could just simply relax, and not be a leader, a general, or a powerful magic wielder.  
  
Unfortunately, he knew he would probably be losing his only friend very soon.  
  
*  
  
Serena sighed. Life was going to get a lot more boring from now on. She supposed she'd have to tag along with Tao and Diane on their shopping sprees, or train with Mae, or something. She stood up, preparing to leave.  
  
Lowe burst through the door that very instance. "Serena! Nova told us we'd find you here."  
  
Serena frowned. Lowe was obviously in distress. "What's wrong?"  
  
Lowe shook his head. "No time to explain. There's a major situation brewing, and we'd like you in on the meeting. We go up to the castle as soon as you're ready."  
  
Serena reached into her pocket, and threw down a few gold coins without bothering to check what exactly she was putting down. "Let's go."  
  
*  
  
Author's note: Yeah, it's been a while, eh? I didn't exactly plan to take a hiatus for so long. I kept on thinking to myself, "I'm gonna finish, just as soon"  
  
a) I finish my exams.  
  
b) I finish leveling up and getting that damn ice storm spell.  
  
c) One more game of Starcraft...  
  
And so on. Basically, I couldn't work up the creative energy to start writing. Writer's block? Just pure procrastination. But now, hopefully, I'm back in the swing of things. I'm not promising anything, except that I'm back on task.   
  
Reviews would be appreciated, anything you want to send in private or what not can be sent to strider_yoshi@tekken.cc. BTW, that mailing list thing I had? Uh, kinda lost it, so if you want to be sent an alert when I update, and you don't have that ff.net service, just send me an e-mail.  
  
Cheers! 


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